Words Of Encouragement To Start The Day (Thursday 03/10/2011)

Going In For A Check Up…

Psalm 139:23-24 (New Living Translation)

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  ²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

            I have been under the weather for the past few weeks.  When my friends and family would call, text, or email me, one of the first things they would ask is, when was the last time I had a checkup, or have I been to the doctors as of yet?  Out of concern for my health and my physical well-being, all who knew me, encouraged me to seek a physician’s care and get thoroughly checked out to ensure that I was okay and in an effort to identify, what was attacking my body and making me sick.  Isn’t it strange that we will go to a doctor when we are physically ill, or to prevent from being physically ill, but we can have a sick spirit and soul and never seek out God, nor do we diligently seek Him to keep us from becoming spiritually sick, or straying out of His will.
            When I was stationed in Okinawa Japan, I was living far away from my family and although I had friends and I was married, God was my closet ally and that  was when my relationship with God began to really shift and become, the greatest part of me.  During a season when I felt lead to reread a book, called “Lord Change Me” by Evelyn Christiansen, God began to teach me the value of submission, and humbling myself before God in order for Him to examine me, closely and ensure that I was not allowing things to reside in me that were contrary to God’s will, and desire for my life.  As I studied God’s word more intently the two passages of scriptures that became a part of my living and giving of myself to God were Psalms 139:23-24 and Psalms 51:10-13.  These two scriptures taught me that I needed to go in for a spiritual check up on a regular basis; they that me that I needed God to deal with my ills and detox my heart, mind, soul and spirit.  I needed medical attention of the God kind.  You see when we go before God on a regular basis, asking him to examine us, and give us a close evaluation to see if we have stepped out of His will or if we have allowed something to step into us, or at least to close to us that influences us or harm us.
            The question is how often do we go in for a checkup?  How often do we allow God to look us over with a fine tooth comb and make sure that we are well, and not perishing from some ill that we do not even know existed within us?  I guess it comes down to how important our relationship with God is? The more important our relationship with God is the more we will, want to stay in good spiritual health and God’s perfect will for our lives.  When we value our relationship with God, we don’t mind when He looks at the very heart of who we are and examines the most private of our thoughts and the most detailed of our actions.  When we love God, we desire to be right for Him, and to come before him ready for service, healthy and in good standing with God. So when is the last time you went in for a checkup, just to make sure all was well with you, your relationship and standing with God?  It might just be time for a thorough exam!