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No More Hiding
Sacred Rhythms - Part 5
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24, Matthew 7:1-5, Genesis 3:1-11
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.Psalm 139:23-24
Have you ever listened to a sermon or read a passage of scripture and immediately thought of someone else who needs to hear this? Sometimes that’s a good thing. It may be just the right word of encouragement someone needs in the moment. Other times it may be more critical as the scripture points out a particular flaw we tend to see in others but rarely in ourselves.
Have you ever noticed how everybody else sins differently than you? As a pastor of a recovery ministry once said, “we all have our favorite flavor of sin.” One person may prefer sweet chocolate covered gossip while another leans toward the saltiness of unforgiveness or holding grudges. Some sin boldly knowing God will forgive them while others pretend they barely sin at all, especially when compared to others who do far worse. Yet we rarely criticize or judge someone else who shares our favorite flavor. If we are part of the gossip circle, we are not likely to call out someone else’s gossip because we want in on the information. If we are particularly prideful, we may see someone else’s arrogance as a sign of boldness or strength. Sometimes people take it too far. For example, when that other person’s sin pushes them over the edge and causes harm to someone else, we may want to distance ourselves by saying we would never do anything that bad.
Psalm 139, like many Psalms, includes some difficult themes which we, in our modern day pride, might even view as sinful. It’s hard to read a prayer that includes lines like…
O that you would kill the wicked, O God… (v. 19)
or
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with perfect hatred (v. 21-22)
Surely our faith is more evolved than this, or so we would like to think. We know Christ taught us to pray for our enemies and to show unconditional love even toward those who hate us. In our hearts we may wish God would take out some person we consider particularly evil, but we would never publicly lift it up as a prayer request at church for someone to die.
The point here is not to quibble over whether this prayer is “appropriate” or not to our moral sensibilities. Rather, we have to take the prayer as it stands. At the very least, we can say this prayer is honest; the kind of raw honesty we are missing greatly today, especially in Christian circles. Given his own understanding of God, David truly believes this is the kind of prayer which God would honor, the kind of prayer that aligns him with God’s will and puts him on the side of justice. Whether that is accurate or not hardly matters. It is honest. David is bringing his whole self, his deepest passions and desires before God, no matter how appropriate or misplaced they may be.
But then in verse 23 it turns. David has already acknowledged that God knows his deepest thoughts, even better than he knows himself. And now, though pretty certain he is justified in his prayer against the wicked, he is pausing to ask God to search those thoughts. Yes, he wants God to punish the wicked, but first he turns it on himself. He is aware of the log in his own eye that may be clouding his judgement. Search me, O God, and see if there is any wicked way in me.
If God is truly to kill the wicked, it may just be that David’s head is the first one on the chopping block. Much like the apostle Paul, he is acknowledging himself as “chief among sinners” and asking God to purify his thoughts and to lead him on the right path (1 Timothy 1:15).
Pastor Carolos A. Rodrigues writes,
For too long Christian's have used the Bible as a weapon, and not as a mirror.
No matter how right or justified David thinks he is in his prayer, he is first and foremost using God’s word as a mirror to reflect his own sin. This is a crucial start for all of us. We must regularly set aside time to allow God to search our hearts, not because God doesn’t already know what’s in there, but so God can help us better know ourselves; the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I invite you to check out this week’s sermon below as I reflect more on the positive side of this “Prayer of Examen”. While confession and repentance is surely a part of it, this regular examination of conscience also helps us become more aware of God’s leading in our everyday lives. It enables us to be more aware of where God was most present and the blessings we have received. It makes us pay more attention to those around us and the ways God is already and work and inviting us to participate in building the Kingdom. The benefits to a regular practice of Examen are virtually endless. For more specific ideas on how to implement a daily “Prayer of Examen,” check out this resource from Ignatian Spirituality.
You may want to simply begin by praying Psalm 139 for yourself. Check out the video below from the Skit Guys to see what that might look like in action.
May God open your heart and mind to the depths of who you are. May God expose the places of your deepest brokenness that you may be made whole and may God reveal your deepest joy and beauty that you may celebrate all that it means to be God’s beloved child.
Listen to this week’s sermon here:
Video of the complete worship service available at http://asburyumc-huntersville.com/live
A Sample Prayer of Examen used in worship this week based on a Traditional Ignatian Examen…
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Ask God to reveal all the gifts and graces he has given this week
Large (life, safety, love, etc.)
Small (a good night’s sleep, an encouraging call from a friend, a moment of peace and quiet over a morning cup of coffee, an opportunity to serve someone, etc.)
Knowing that we need God’s help to see our darker side realistically, but also through the perspective of God’s merciful love, ask God to fill you with his spirit and to free you from obsessing over the things you do not like about yourself.
Think through your week-day by day in your imagination (or think through your day if you are making this a nightly practice), and linger on the important moments.
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you with these questions…
Where was God most present with me?
Where did God seem most absent?
When did I dwell on a bad thought or act in a way I know was not honoring to God?
What missed opportunities did I have to show Christ’s love but didn’t?
Pause and ask forgiveness.
Sense God’s healing mercy washing over you, making you clean and whole.
Given what the Spirit has revealed to you about your week, ask God how he wants you to respond tomorrow and, in the week ahead.
What kind of person is God calling me to be tomorrow?
How is he calling me to live differently?
Who does God want me to forgive? From whom do I need to seek forgiveness?
Who does God want me to serve?
What attitudes does God want to change in me?
What habits does God want to free me from?
Take a moment to make these commitments to God and ask for his strength to help you fulfill them by the Holy Spirit
A Closing Prayer adapted from Psalm 139:
You see deep into my heart, O LORD,
and you know everything about me.
You know when I am working or resting,
when I come and when I go.
No matter where I am, I am never out of your sight.
Even before I speak a word, you already know what I am going to say.
Your reassuring presence surrounds me at all times.
Such knowledge is far above me—
I can’t begin to comprehend it!
It was you who created me,
who formed me inside my mothers’ womb.
I praise you for the gift of life,
and for the miracle of my body.
Everything you do is marvelous,
and worthy of our praise!
Nothing about me is hidden from you!
Even before I was born, you knew me and watched over me—
and you continue to walk with me,
throughout all the stages of my life.
Your thoughts are far beyond my understanding,
more than I can ever imagine.
They outnumber the grains of sand on the beach.
Look deep into my heart, O God.
Search out my hidden thoughts and motives.
Keep me from actions that will bring harm to myself or to others,
and guide me in the ways that lead to life.
Amen.