Rev. Ray and Pat Amos

Psalm 19:12

“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from hidden faults.”

We were at the Hands On Museum with a school field trip. There was a hall that had neon paint and black lights. As we entered it all of the kids who were wearing white began to glow. There were white socks, shirts and pants that were glowing on the children as they were pointing and laughing while transforming into little neon fireflies. I had on dark clothes, so I said, “Hey, something is wrong, I am not glowing,” then a little boy said with a grin on his face, “Your hair is.”

I am reminded that others see things about us (good and bad) that we do not see. There is a story in the Bible (Luke 18:9-14) about two men praying. One believed that he was good and he could see no fault in himself. The other man was filled with regret and shame, so he cried out to God for mercy.

Perhaps that is another reason for us to get alone with God in our closet. There it is just God and yourself. There is no one to point to, no one to compare you with; there is only the One who sees us through and through and reads our heart.

The Doctor looks at the X-Ray and says that things look okay, but will wait until the radiologist reads it. We may think that things look okay in our life, but Lent is a good reminder that we need the Great Physician and Radiologist of Heaven to search our hearts.

It’s strange and sobering to understand that God may see us in a different light than we see ourselves. God saw both of these men as just the opposite of what they believed about themselves. One man went home with prideful self-righteousness, and the other man went home forgiven, with a clean heart, and right with God.

The song says,
“Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.”

Grace and Peace, Rev Ray

“Link to YouTube Video – Search Me, O God”