“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV
Reflection: do you fear being misled?
Yesterday we looked at a couple of properties. After studying the advertised materials online, we had formed an opinion of what the properties would be like. But what we found when actually saw them in person was something very different than what we had in our minds. How is that even possible? Well, we all know that the purpose of advertisement is to generate interest in a product. And, often that means walking a fine line of being truthful and dishonest. If you look at advertisements for pretty much any product, you get these associations of success, beauty, happiness, and so on, something we all have a desire for. The truth is, of course, that the product will never bring those experiences as advertised. They are therefore often very deceptive. Now, if we can be deceived by advertisements, can we also be deceived spiritually?
It is a rhetorical question. Of course we can. That is why the warning of not being deceived is all over the Bible; and strongly across the New Testament. Jesus said as He talked about the times to come “And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4-5 NKJV. Keep in mind here that, for someone to call themselves “Christ” is too obvious, right? So most likely it would be some religious movement that would claim they have the authority of Christ, or something similar Because, if the deception was easy for us to spot, to understand, why would we need all the warnings in the Bible? We have to therefore recognize that deceptions are always cleverly disguised, so that we might not suspect them. And, we must also keep in mind that the whole idea of deceptions is wicked, is evil, is from the devil himself.
There is so much to learn from David’s close walk with the Lord. His understanding of God. In the very famous ending of psalm 139, we read today’s focus verse “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV. The statement to really ponder here today is “And see if there is any wicked way in me”. The phrase “wicked way” can be translated to “offensive way”, “grievous way”, even “way of idols” (idolatry), and perhaps others. But we see here David recognizes that he might not even know that he has been led astray. That he has bought a deception, a lie of the devil. So therefore he is asking God for help, so that He can be corrected, and be on the right path. He asks God to
“lead me in the way everlasting.”
And, we can look way back, to the very beginning of our story. Where Eve and then Adam were deceived. James wrote “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” James 1:12-16 NKJV
And, he goes on “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:17-18, 21-22 NKJV.
All throughout history, God’s people have feared being deceived and misled by the devil, in whatever form he comes. This is why we see so many warnings in the Bible, even by Jesus Himself. Let’s never think that this could never happen to me. Let’s instead plead with the Lord to “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV
