A PURE HEART BEFORE GOD

The last part of Psalm 139 is about King David expressing his hatred toward those who hate God and asking God to search and purify his heart. Psalm 139:21-22 says, "Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies." One thing we know about King David is that he was very passionate about God. When Goliath was taunting God and the people of Israel, David was enraged and fought Goliath, ultimately killing him. Although he was only a teenager at that time, he loved God passionately. After becoming a successful warrior and a King of Israel, he encountered many temptations that led him to sin against God. Despite all his weaknesses and failures, David's heart was always sensitive to God's rebuke and correction. He wrote the final verses of Psalm 139 as a prayer to search his heart and purify it. Psalm 139:23-24 says, "Search me, 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." David wanted to have a pure heart before God because he loves Him.

In Psalm 139, we can observe the deep and intimate relationship that King David has with God. He began to explain how God knew him when he was still in his mother's womb. God already had a plan for his life. All his thoughts and ways were exposed to God, and there is nothing that he could hide from God, nor escape his presence. In a similar fashion, God knows everything about us. He sees everything that we do, whether in public or in private places. He knows our hidden thoughts. And this is the reason we need God's help to reveal anything in our hearts that is not pleasing to Him so that He can lead us in His ways. We must be willing to change our hearts if we want to have an intimate relationship with God. Christianity is not about what God can do for us or what we can do for Him; it is about having an intimate relationship with God. God created us for relationship. God sustains and provides everything that we need because He loves us; in the same manner, we live for God because we love Him. 

Our loving relationship with God is what motivates us to live a life dedicated to honoring Him in all that we do. Let us cultivate our relationship with God by spending time with Him through prayer and reading His Word. 

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) What is Christianity all about? What motivates me to follow God? How do I cultivate my relationship with God?

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, please search my heart, test me, and know my anxious thoughts. If I offend you in any way, please forgive me and lead me to walk in your everlasting way. Please help me to cultivate my relationship with you. Give me hunger and thirst to spend time with you in prayer and reading your Word. Please do not let the things of this world lead me to stray away from you. Please continue to purify my heart. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.