Psalm 139:23-24

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

We have become a culture that is easily offended. Why are so many quick to be offended, because we filter everything through our feelings and look at life based on how it affects us. If something hurts our feelings we are offended but do we stop to consider how we are living might be offensive to God? In Psalm 139 David asks God to reveal anything that is offensive because sometimes we don’t see what God sees. This prayer is not the easy or safe prayers we might prefer like God bless us, help us, protect us, God do this and God do that! Don’t get me wrong these are not bad prayers but they are safe prayers, because for the most part they allow us to keep our distance from God. What offends us is primarily outward focused but what offends God is inward its what is in the heart. Thats why in Luke 6:45 Jesus said, “What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Very few Christians pray this prayer because we are more comfortable focusing on others because it keeps the spotlight off of us. But David’s prayer here takes us out of our comfort zone. Interestingly it’s a prayer he prayed right after his enemies and God’s enemies were on the attack, accusing David of having wrong motives. Instead of fighting and defending himself, David turned to God and said SEARCH MY HEART! Our tendency when we are being attacked is to point out all the faults in others not to ask God to sift our hearts. There are four parts to his prayer starting first with discovery.

• The first thing David prays is, “Search me, O God, and know my heart!”

You may wonder “why would we ask God to search our heart. This is not and exercise for God to discover what’s in our hearts, He already knows, this is for our discovery and benefit. We are asking God to reveal what is really going on in our hearts. When we don’t, we can fall into the trap of self-deception. But praying this prayer gives God the opportunity to show you some things about yourself which can bring you into a more intimate relationship with Him. It’s not safe, but it can make you so much closer to God. Do you know the real motives of your heart? Are you content with a surface faith or do you want God to reveal the cracks in the foundation that need to be dealt with?

• Second David prays, “Try me and know my anxious thoughts!”

How many of us are really willing to ask God to open us up and reveal what’s really going on in our hearts? What is it that makes you anxious and afraid? Your job, the future, this pandemic, your health, a loved one? Why would we say, “God, show me my anxious thoughts?” Because what we fear the most reveals where we trust God the least. When we are willing to expose ourselves and pray this prayer not only will God better help us to understand our hearts but also what is holding us back from fully trusting Him. Maybe you recognize a sin issue which has been holding you back. Something you’ve been able to rationalize to yourself and maybe even with others. It might have to do with your home life, or work, or with a relationship. Whatever it is God is faithful and He will reveal it to you so that you can grow.

• David now comes to the third part of the prayer, “And see if there be any offensive way in me.”

David is saying, God, while I’m being really vulnerable with you don’t just show me my fears but also anything within me that is offensive to you. How many of us are willing to ask this in prayer? This type of prayer takes courage, and many of us never pray this prayer because it requires a deep vulnerability and trust in God. The more I rest in my relationship with God the more willing I am to ask Him to show me what’s really going on in my life. Sadly, many of us have a surface relationship with God, He is more of an acquaintance than our heavenly Father. As a result, we are not really willing to go this deep and be this vulnerable. David asked God to show him anything that was displeasing to Him. Most of us focus on how we feel about everything around us but do we ever stop to ask God how He feels about it? Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to see your own sins and yet how easy it is to see everybody else’s? We tend to accuse others, and then we excuse ourselves. But the most common lies are the ones we tell ourselves. That’s why we need to have the courage to say, “Search my heart, God. Test me. Know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me.” God in His grace will point out any sin that is dwelling in our hearts. He will reveal anything that needs to be worked on. Anything that you are trying to deny, things you become defensive about. Don’t deny the truth, submit yourself to what God is trying to show you, and then have the courage to make the changes you need to make. Once God reveals what is really going on in your life confess it and asking God for forgiveness along with anyone else you may have hurt. This is the process of learning to depend on Christ. Maybe it’s an addiction issue, embrace His power to overcome your addiction. It could be a prideful heart; you need His power to be humbled and depend on Him. It might be a lust issue. You need His truth to renew your mind and transform your heart. Or what about a materialistic and greedy heart. If we love the things of this world then you need to fall so in love with Him, that this world is not your home, heaven is your home. Whatever God shows you; it always points directly to your need for Jesus. It takes courage to pray this prayer because when you do God will show you some things about yourself that need to change.

• Lastly David ends his prayer with this, “And lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

God doesn’t just show us the problems but also the path. God’s way is always the everlasting way! His power, His strength, His courage, His hope, His grace, His love all of which will endure forever! Are you following the Father and His plan and path for your life or yours? In Psalm 23:3 David reminds me that I have a good shepherd that desires to, “guide me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” What if we worried more about offending God and less about being offended? Do you have the courage to pray, Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Isaiah 1:17 – “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

In recent weeks we have seen mass protests against injustice and many who claim Christ have been offended. But are we offended at the protests or what they are protesting? In Isaiah 1:17 we are called to “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.” Why would God call us to do this? Because injustice is not a new problem, people have been putting others down while putting themselves up for a long time. The problem is that the church has been silent, why because acknowledging injustice means we have to do something. It’s easier if we just pretend everything is fine and go about our own lives. But the truth is that it is not fine, we live in a broken world and as the church we have the cure to this cancer that is spreading through our country, it’s called compassion. But until we care we will be part of the problem and not the cure. Isaiah 1:17 calls us to take up the cause of the fatherless and plead the case of the widow. This is part of the problem in America, what I call a parenting pandemic. As a result, we have a fatherless issue that is affecting millions. But instead of taking up the cause of the fatherless we are taking up the cause of the offended. We are upset and annoyed at what we are seeing in our culture. But what is the cause of the chaos, I would suggest it’s a parenting problem that needs to be addressed with love not legislation. According to the Bible it’s not a government problem but a personal problem. The Bible calls us to care not to call my Government representative, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” What cause am I taking up, what case am I pleading? It’s easy to point the finger at those who are relying on the government for financial and physical aid and call them lazy but what about those of us that are relying on government to come to the aid of the afflicted? Are we not being lazy? Why are we shirking our calling to be the compassionate hands and feet of Jesus? When you really study out what has happened to those of color in this country you discover that they have been oppressed. That they have been marginalized when it comes to things many of us take for granted like homeownership. Don’t get mad at me go and do your homework and you will discover that both parties have been responsible for passing policies that have oppressed people. Right now, our nation is at the breaking point politically, we are divided because of our ideology but what about our humanity. Does your allegiance to a political party out way your allegiance to God? Do we care more about our country than Christ? Are we as God’s called ambassadors, charged with the great commission, shifting the mission from seeing Americans saved to one of trying to save America? It’s time to stop making it about politics and start making it about people. Our political parties on both sides of the isle have failed to live out Isaiah 1:17 something they claim to care about. But what about us, which cause will we get caught up in, governments or God’s? If we are not careful, we will become more concerned with defending our rights than doing what is right. How much time do you spend talking about the problem’s verses God’s plan? Do you talk more about the Good news of the gospel or world news? Are you listening more to the Master or the media? Are you being influenced more by God’s Word or the world? Is peace or political protest ruling your heart, because according to Colossians 3:15 we should be a people of peace, “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” So, what do we do? How as God’s called children do, we live in these politically charged times? The same way the church has always done, focus on the mission not the mess. What is the mission, sharing God’s message of mercy. Jesus reminds us of this in Luke 10 when an expert in the law stood up to test Him and Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan concluding with the call to also go and care for others. I believe compassion and mercy must start at home. If I don’t care for those under my own roof how can I claim to care for those who are not? So, first we need to learn to love our spouse and in turn lavish love on our kids. If we fail to cultivate care in our own homes how do, we expect to cultivate it in our culture? If I don’t take up the cause of Fatherlessness in my home how will I combat it in our society? Instead of combating the problem I will be contributing to it. So, let me ask you how are you caring for your spouse? Are you leading with love and caring for their heart? How are you caring for your kids? Do you know what is going on in their lives? Second start seeing peoples face instead of their race. It doesn’t say defend the back or white who are oppressed, just the oppressed. True Compassion is colorless it doesn’t see race just the face of humanity. So, let me ask you is your compassion colorless? Do you care more about people’s souls or their skin? The story of the Good Samaritan is shocking because the Jews hated the Samaritans and vise versa. They were racially charged people, but it was not the Jew who helped the Jew but the Samaritan, their racial enemy. We need to stop being offended by the slogan “Black lives matter.” We know that the Cross tells us that all lives matter, but until we start actually living that out there will always be people that feel marginalized. So how are you caring for those around you? What lives matter to you?