David was willing to undergo the same judgment of God, he might have recommended for anyone else. He was willing to be put under scrutiny by the Lord and be thoroughly tested. He uses three words here to represent the thoroughness of the inspection he invokes – examine, prove, try. Each of these words emphasise depth in analysis and examination. David offered up both his affections or emotions (reins) and his thoughts or intellect (heart), for examination. He was not saying he was perfect or without flaw, for we know from his own writing and expression that he asks God not to remember his transgressions. David was simply not afraid of the Lord’s evaluation of his life, because he knew that God is a righteous and just Judge, and that he as a man, had walked uprightly both in regards to God and to his fellowman. Calling for God to note and weigh out his life, is a way of obtaining validation and approval from God. There is a beautiful and humble confidence in this statement that is worthy of notice. How willing would we be to call for God’s thorough scrutiny of our lives? Are we happy for God to know us intimately, and comfortable with allowing and welcoming His careful inspection of our innermost mental and emotional space? The quality of the relationship we hold with Jesus, and the value we place on it, has a lot to do with the level of comfort we naturally hold and feel, with the proximity and interaction of the Holy God! When we want to keep our Lord and Saviour at ‘arms’ length’, or feel like we are intruded upon by the check of His Spirit, we are in fact declaring that He is not our Lord over all. We are saying that there are some aspects of our being, or areas of our lives, which are ‘out of bounds’ to the Lord, and into which He is not welcome! God will not push His way into our lives, but our joy of living for Jesus will augment or diminish, in proportion to the degree by which we are willing to surrender ourselves to Him, the searching of His Spirit and the direction of His word. May we all become so close to Jesus that we too like David, can joyfully welcome the Lord’s inspection, and willingly ask for His evaluation.
http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion
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