GOD'S SEARCH ENGINE

I often wake way-too-early, but instead of tossing and turning, and fretting and fuming, I listen to the quiet voice that says, “Seek my face.” Actually, there should be a capital M and F in that quote—Seek My Face.” It's from Psalm 27, where David expresses his desire to go deeper and stronger with God. It's well-marked in my Bible:

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek. (27:8)
There's a similar request in another well-known psalm:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.(139:23)

As I write this, I think of the memorable hymn written by revivalist J. Edwin Orr, “Search Me, O God.” It was featured in this blog in the Oct. 15, 2021 post. The whole idea of “heart-searching” should be a year-round part of one's spiritual walk. But maybe the opening of a new year, when many decide on a “New Year Resolution,” is a good time to revisit that essential behavior of Christ-followers.

Years ago I read Joanna Weaver's best-selling book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. It's one of many of her fine studies on living for Christ. In that book (pp.28-29) she paraphrased a pamphlet by a long-ago evangelist for the Free Methodist Church, E.E. Shelhamer (1869-1940). His passion was encouraging people toward holy living. The ten points he developed in this pamphlet, called “Traits of the Carnal Mind,” are worthy of “revival” for the revival we need in these trying times. He prefaced his list with this advice: “Reader, the Spirit ALONE can interpret and apply this tract to your individual case. As you read, examine yourself as if in the immediate presence of God.”

His main ten “search me” topics are below, but consider going to the original text to let God speak of changes you may need to make this year—or even this week:

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13978&forum=34

Here's a summary of his list of the “carnal” (sin-prone) mind. The website includes his short explanatory paragraph after each—definitely worthy of reading and considering.

1. A secret sense of pride....

2. Love of human praise....

3. Stirrings of anger or impatience....

4. Self-will—a stubborn, unteachable spirit...

5. Carnal fear.....

6. A jealous disposition....

7. Lustful stirrings...

8. A dishonest, deceitful disposition....

9. Unbelief, a spirit of discouragement in times or pressure and opposition...

10. Formality and deadness....

If one of your desires for 2022 is to walk closer to God, this might be the list you need to search your heart. I'm tucking a copy in my Bible for those times of prayer and reflection when I, too, like David, desire a closer relationship with God, “my light and my salvation...the stronghold of my life” (Psalm 27:1).