Thursday, March 08, 2012

Connecting Passages of Scripture

One reason an on-going Bible reading plan is important is to help those who have read it before get a deeper meaning from scripture. Today I came across an excellent example of this.

I've read the Bible completely in a year. I've read the New Testament several times in a year. I read some portion of the Bible almost every day. I have my favorite passage. I have my "Go To" verses that pop into my teaching and preaching.

One of my "Go To" verses is Psalm 139:23-24.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
test me and know my anxious thoughts. 
See if there is any offensive way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting. 


I call the people at Cross Road to confession using this passage. I've written a little chorus that keeps the passage in the front of my mind. I think the psalmist is showing us the importance of allowing God to call to our minds what our sins are. When we start off to confess our sins we are likely to confess only what we think are our sins and only sins we are aware that we committed. That makes sense - How could we confess something we don't think is a sin or a sin that we committed?

But rather than using your list of sins, ask God to give you his list of your sins. That's probably much different. Sometimes you may try to justify your actions when really it's just sin. Sometimes you may compare yourself to others when they aren't the standard, God is. God's list is comprehensive, exhaustive, painfully personal. Your list - and mine - is not so bad.

So I'm reading in Deuteronomy today and come to chapter 8. Read verse 2 carefully.

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

Now go back and read Psalm 139:23-24 again. Did you pick up on the connecting phrases? The psalmist David asked God to "know my heart" and "test me." Moses, in Deuteronomy, reminded the Israelites that God tested them in order to "know what was in your heart." I don't know about you, but Moses' words help me see David's words differently - more deeply.

In order to know their hearts, God tested the Israelites. And God's people are supposed to ask God to search their hearts and know them, too. I've always thought of this test in Psalm 139 to be God's thorough review where he compares what is in my heart to his purpose and standard of holiness. But in light of Deuteronomy 8, that test is more like how Boeing tests jet engines before putting them into use.

When you ask God to test you and know your heart, get ready for trials. Think about what the Israelites endured for forty years! It was all to prepare them to enter the Promised Land. An earlier generation had not passed the test and didn't enter Canaan. The test may be hard but the reward for passing the test is great.

What is God preparing you for? He must refine you by removing impurities of sin. That's no quick and easy task. It takes time. It takes your commitment to stay in the test. It takes a humble spirit that will allow God to test you and know your heart.

Are you willing to go through the test? The best things God has for you are waiting for you on the other side of the test.

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