TDR: 13 February (Psalm 139:23)

‘Search me, O God, and know my heart’ (Psalm 139:23)

None can search the heart but God; none are willing for the heart to be searched except real Christians. A believer desires to know the worst. They dread deception. Grace has made them honest, and so they pray, “Lord, search me!”

If another person were to search, they would expose, irritate, and injure us; but if God searches, He will humble, strengthen, and heal us. The person who sees themselves in the light of truth and personally knows the effect of divine searching, cannot trust themselves for one moment; they fly from self to Jesus; from law to grace; they loathe themselves; and while they confidently trust in Jesus and rejoice in hope, they walk humbly with their God.

They cannot boast, they dare not presume; rather they walk in holiness and ascribe all to free grace. Beloved, take your heart to Jesus to be searched. He says, “I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you as your work deserves” (Revelation 2:23).

If He searches you, He will save you from every deception, self-righteousness, and every false way. So let this be your daily prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). Let us examine ourselves. We need searching.

 Lord, search my heart and try my ways,
And make my soul sincere;
Then shall I stand before Thy face,
And find acceptance there.

THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER by James Smith (1802-1862)

Journal Jottings

‘As many who left us [the Cheltenham church] were the most wealthy in the congregation, it was very widely circulated that we should never be able to keep on the cause for want of funds, but our first collection after they left us, was just one penny more than the previous month.

The next collection was on a pouring wet day, but I besought the Lord, to whom the gold and silver belongs, to appear for us, and went to preach assured that he would, and when some of the friends said, “We have got the collection on the wrong day, we should have had it last Sunday, when it was a fine day”, I answered, “It is the right day, wait and see”. And in the evening our collections exceeded our previous ones by upwards of two pounds.

“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself because of him that prospereth in his way.” What comes to us thus in answer to prayer, and contrary to our natural expectation, is doubly sweet.’