Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Psalms 139:23 NIV
If you have ever had an MRI, you likely remember the experience. Though it has been several years since my last one (thankfully), here's what I recall. Lying on a cool table, being slowly inserted into a confined space, being told to control my breathing, and hearing sporadic sounds like someone rapping on the side of a half-empty fuel oil drum. That is to say, like all medical procedures, it's not something done without cause, but the radiologist can determine the source of pain from this uncomfortable procedure.
It may be uncomfortable when we ask God to search our hearts. We enter the procedure feeling discomforted because we know something is wrong. We're experiencing pain, but we may not understand its source. While the search itself is not uncomfortable, our fear of what God will discover may be. When God searches, He will find it all: the source of the pain and our anxieties and doubts. But that's what we want (or at least what we need); we desire Him to identify what we know to be wrong and find other problem areas.
God is the MRI operator, the radiologist who identifies the problem and is the ultimate physician of our souls. In Mark 2:17, Jesus talks about being the Great Physician, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Jesus came for all of us, the sin-sick, offering eternal healing and wholeness, His salvation, to all who seek Him.
Almighty God, we come before You with open hearts, seeking Your divine presence. Thank You for the insights that King David shared about Your perfect character. We acknowledge that You are intimately acquainted with every detail of our lives—from our very beginnings in our mother's womb to the unfolding of each day.
Lord, search our hearts. Expose anything that hinders our relationship with You. Reveal hidden sins, doubts, and fears. We invite Your light into the depths of our souls. Cleanse us from our sins. Purify our hearts. Remove any impurity that clouds our Christian walk. May our thoughts, words, and actions align with Your truth. Comfort us in moments of anxiety. When worries weigh us down, remind us of Your faithfulness.
Help us cast all our cares upon You, knowing You are the Great Physician. Guide us along the path of everlasting life. May our steps align with Your will. Grant us wisdom, discernment, and a heart that seeks after You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim

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