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“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” - Psalm 139:23

John Stott wrote: “As disciples of Jesus, we are called out of this world to belong to God and then placed back into the world to help others.” (paraphrased).

This verse in Psalm 139 talks about four things:

  1. Search me, God…David is inviting God to have a deeper look into his life. A 'search' is not just a fleeting glance; it's a dedicated and meticulous quest.

Reflect: What are you inviting God to “search” for in your life?

  1. And know my heart…Whenever we see the word “know” in the Bible, it refers to the intimacy of a relationship. It's comforting to know that God intimately understands our hearts.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Scripture strongly emphasises the heart as the source of good or evil. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick." Jesus announced: "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45). Guarding your heart is essential.

Reflect: How well do you want God to know your heart? How well do you know your own heart?

  1. Test me… As I have written before, God values our integrity. David is inviting God to test his integrity and his allegiance to God, reminding us of the importance of living with integrity.

Matthew 22:37-40 (NKJV)Jesus said to him, “'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’”

Reflect: If God were to test your love for Him, what would He find? How important is your integrity before God to you?

  1. Know my anxious thoughts…Here’s the word “know” again. This time, David is asking God to investigate what is causing him anxiety thoroughly. I think Scripture reminds us repeatedly not to worry because God knows we become anxious about stuff.

Jesus invites us to cast our cares and burdens on Him, providing us with the support we need in times of anxiety.

May we all be so bold as to invite God to search us, know our hearts, test us and know our innermost anxious thoughts.

Kia kaha.