Search my heart

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth" Ps.26,2-3. This is the sigh of the psalmist David, the man after God's heart. David loved God with all his heart, not in his own illusion but in righteousness and integrity of heart. He did not confide in his own prejudices,

but wanted to know at all times what the judgment of God was upon him, and be back on track: "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" Ps.139,23-24. This is why God loved David and jealously guarded him. He speaks of himself as a reference model to all the kings who succeeded him to the throne, "And yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes." 1Kg.14,8 (also read 1Kg.9,4; 11,38; 15,5).

David's heart was always with God and he was not afraid to be tested because he walked in the Truth. And he always aspired to more intimacy with God, he wanted to reassure every moment he was not far from the truth, and it is God who could assure him, not himself or any church or any conductor. There is nothing that delights the Lord as the readiness of our heart to walk in the truth and hate every false way, as the psalmist says: "Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way" Ps.119,104. Many people have disgusted the Lord because they do not take pains to seek God with all their heart, but welcome anything as being the word of God, they proclaim themselves Christians, and they make up​ their own godliness even without God. They do not feel the need to be tested by the truth whether they are on the right path, as David.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate?" 2Co.13,5.  The test which everyone must take is the Word of Truth. At the end, there are two results:

-    Either the lie is in the heart: "The ungodly word of the wicked is in his heart" Ps.36,2 (Louis Segond); and the Word of Truth is not welcome, the wicked is thus reprobate at the end of the test. In this case, like Cain, the wicked will persecute the truth, or like Judas, he will hang himself. The wicked do not even want God to probe their heart, they are furious when the Word of Truth approaches them. They want to lead quietly their spiritual life, not in suffering trial through the 'melting pot' which is the Word of Truth, but in the imagination of their heart and following the precepts they are willing to, "Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment" Hos.5,11.

-    Or the truth is the heart: "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom" Ps.51,6; so that the just finds himself in harmony with the Word of Truth, and is approved after the test. He has no conflict with the Truth, but delights therein, his heart rejoices when truth is proclaimed, and he hates every false way. He does not have the illusion of Christendom, godliness or religious life, but at any time he submits himself to the  'melting pot' which is the Word of Truth to be sure he is on the right path, according to the council God, not in his own fantasies. With assurance he may then speak like David: "Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night, thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress" Ps.17,1-3. He who walks with God this way is righteous  before God.

Therefore, the heart is the core allowing or disallowing the Word of Truth or impious speech. Appearances are worthless. There are servants of God, only in the eyes of society, but impious speech is at the bottom of their heart, in vain do they serve because they follow the precepts that they like. They will be oppressed and broken in judgment, like Ephraim, and their appearances of piety will not save them. This is why wisdom advises us in Proverbs 4.23: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Anyone who does not watch over his heart and leaves it open to the unholy word, is one who does not consider his soul precious. Those who recognize the value of the blood of the Son of God which was shed for their souls watch with extreme attention to what should occupy the bottom of their heart.

Between the Word of Truth and the unholy speech there is no compromise. Abraham was ready to give his wife, but could never compromise on the Word of God, same with his son Isaac. The psalmist says "Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts deligently" Ps.119,4; not with complacency or making compromises. And as to how we must keep our path pure, he says "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy Word" Ps.119,9.  And he adds this heartfelt sigh "Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously. I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me" Ps.119,29-30; and again "Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words" Ps.119,57.

God loves the heart that longs for him and seeks him, which made David the beloved of the Lord: "O God! thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is" Ps.63,1. Also the sons of Korah sang from the bottom of their heart: "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Ps.42,1-2. This is the readiness of heart that the Lord expects from us: to love and seek Him with all our heart over any priority.

The Lord tested Abraham to see if he loved Him with all his heart, not just the lips. And he always does with everyone. All righteous men of God, like David, share the same deep, the same concern which is also God’s concern; to be sure that Truth is at the bottom of their heart and they are in the process of Eternity. So they want God to prove the heart, and God on his side uses all the divine methods to test us and verify that we love him with all our heart. He deceives prophets who come to us so that they may speak lies and see if our hearts are open to the lies: "If the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet" Ez.14,9.

Still to prove the affection we have for the truth, God himself can give these false prophets, who preach doctrines that our fathers the apostles have not known, gifts of miracle so that what they say be fulfilled "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul" Dt.13,1-3. Very few people have passed this test!

Many who live at the expense of their church, or enjoying an honor in society due to their position in the church, or admiring the false miracles of a servant who has been deceived, do no longer have time to consider what they preach or are imposed to preach or believe: they have the ungodly speech in their heart and their soul is at danger, they open their heart to welcome the Truth.

If you feel blessed, share and pour out the same blessings.