Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.
Psalm 26:2–3, ESV
David sought to be faithful to God his entire life. He is described as a man after God’s own heart. He didn’t always make the right choices but was open to God’s correction. Our hearts will often be tested in life, and our faith will be challenged. To ask God for blessings and to praise God when things are going well in life are not so difficult, but often, in these times, God can be forgotten. In times of difficulty, however, God can often be blamed. David speaks in this psalm of his faithfulness and does not hide the struggle of his trials. He loved to worship God and enjoyed his time at the altar of the Lord. God desires us to be holy because he is holy, but He doesn’t leave us to ourselves on this. We will face many trials, some of them because of our faithfulness and some because of our faithlessness. Sin desires to drive us away from God and to run in fear of the only One who can restore us and redeem us. It is strange to think of how many people will avoid joining other Christians in worship when they are struggling with sin. Within the body of Christ is where we need to be regularly worshipping, especially when we are feeling guilt because we have fallen short and sinned. Unfortunately, not all people feel safe within the sanctuary of God. This is not because God does not want them there, but not all places that call themselves places of God are safe. Jesus was not safe around the religious, but He knew the followers of God, and in their security, He walked. We, too, are to walk in the security of faith with others who follow Jesus. A follower of Jesus won’t act as though our sin is OK nor justify it, but a Christ follower will speak words of forgiveness and healing over the life of one who is seeking relief. As we ask God to test our hearts, like David, we are asking God to remove all that is unpleasing to Him in order to reflect His glorious light into the world.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.