Psalm 139 has been a source of comfort and challenge for me for years. The last two verses especially have been a challenge. Robert Morris shared a message a few years back – I tried to find it without success – in which he shared the four stages of maturity: give me, use me, search me, make me. His point was that the first two are self centered and the last two are where God really begins to make a difference in our lives.
One of the things that David asks for God to look for in his life in Psalm 139:24 is “any hurtful way.” The original is literally “any way of pain.” Recently that has become one of my prayers for me. Are there “ways” in me that cause pain, either for me or for others?
The problem is in facing those, at some level I feel much like Eustace in “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” In order to change I am in need of Aslan taking off the dragon skin. I cannot do it myself. That is why, I think, David asked God to lead him. He knew that he was incapable of finding the way himself. For me, ditto.
The problem is in facing those, at some level I feel much like Eustace in “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” In order to change I am in need of Aslan taking off the dragon skin. I cannot do it myself. That is why, I think, David asked God to lead him. He knew that he was incapable of finding the way himself. For me, ditto.
Good post Mike.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad David's life was recorded so we could see a good example of a sinner's reliance and relationship with God. Similarly to Psalm 139:24, is Psalm 51:10, Davids prayer asking for God's forgiveness after he possibly broke all Ten Commandments which started with him lusting for Bathsheba and resulting in him murdering her husband, Uriah.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Thank you.
DeleteI am with you. David captures the cry of my heart on pretty much a daily basis.