Orange Moon Monday, July 28, 2025 "Search Me"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"Search Me"

  

    If it were not the case that we can be sorely tempted to think otherwise, the Apostle Paul would not have commanded…

    "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

   In a world of devilish and fleshly influences, even devoted born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must be reminded and challenged to think in terms of God and His truth.  Our spiritual enemies continually seek to divert our thoughts in directions that lead anywhere but to faith and devotion to God.  The conflict is ongoing and must be acknowledged if our walk in the spirit and truth of the Lord Jesus is to be maintained and enhanced.  The Psalmist's prayer must become our own regular inquiry directed to our Heavenly Father for His examination of whether we are thinking rightly about Him, ourselves, others, our lives, and the world…

    "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

   The Hebrews meaning of the word "wicked" is interesting in terms of David's request for the Lord's examination.  "Eseb" means pain or sorrow, as opposed to our usual understanding of wicked.  We can interpret this as referring to thoughts that inevitably lead not to peace and joy in Christ, but rather to inevitable mental and emotional turmoil.  "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee" declared the prophet of our desperate need to think in terms of truth and reality (Isaiah 26:3).  Rather than "the way everlasting," thoughts of unbelief and waywardness lead to ways ever sorrowful and painful, regardless of whatever benefit they seem to offer in the moment.  

   "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

   Ongoing searching of our thoughts - by God - must characterize our walk with Him.  Note that the Psalmist knew where to find the light that exposes darkness.  Only our Heavenly Father sees the inner depths of our minds, where the whys and the wherefores of our thoughts have their origin.  He will lead us by His Spirit to His Word, and to fellowship with other believers who often serve as either confirming or correcting light regarding whether we "think on these things."  Our Father also works providentially in our lives to lead us in His searching and the illumination upon our thoughts that enables to "walk in the light of the Lord" (Isaiah 2:5).  Confirmation and correction of our thinking must accompany the entirety of the journey in our present lives, lived in the light of the Lord, but also in the thought provoking - to pain - darkness of a fallen world.  "Search me, o God" indeed…

"I hate vain thoughts, but Thy law do I love."

(Psalm 119:113)

Weekly Memory Verse 

    I hate vain thoughts, but Thy law do I love.

(Psalm 119:113)

7538