Search Me O' God

I don't know how many of you in an R.E. Life Group are studying Sacred Rhythms, but our life group is. Ruth Haley Barton writes so many things that have challenged me. This week the chapter was self examination. She quotes Psalms 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." We talked whether it was easy or hard to pray this prayer. We agreed it was hard, and admitted that none of us has ever prayed this prayer personally. I thought Mrs. Barton did a wonderful job of reminding us that this prayer is not really about us asking God to search us because after all He already knows all about us. Earlier in Psalms 139:1-4 David said " O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD." So the point is God already knows and what this prayer is really about is for us to come to know ourselves the way that God knows us. What I loved about her discussion is she reminds us that we are secure in God's love and no matter what we have done He still loves us, so this kind of self examination is not meant to be self condemning. It is a celebration of loving God so much that the more we recognize our own shortcomings He will transform us more and more into His image. God has this amazing life of overflowing love, mercy, and grace just waiting for me to embrace. How much longer am I going to let Satan the accuser blind me from the truth of God's love?