How 'Bout a Test?

So, Psalm 139. 

Last night, a friend of mine gave me a little clearer picture on this particular chapter of the Bible...and reminded me of how important its words are.

This chapter is David talking about how God knows everything about us... How when He created us, He knew us before anyone else did... How He knows each and every move we make... Talk about amazing!

A familiar verse that many people know and love is verse fourteen:

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well." 
- Psalm 139:14

But the verses that my friend pointed out to me that are just as beautiful and even more meaningful are verses twenty-three and four:

"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." 
- Psalm 139:23 & 24

Whenever I read these, and heard what my friend had to say about them, I reminded myself of Pepi, an Argentinian pastor who recently came to visit America and who spent some time with my family. When he would walk into a department store here, he would make one big exclamation - WOW. That's all I could think to say.

Basically, my friend said, these verses are continually asking God to change our hearts to conform to His. It's a plea to be like God!

I mean, sure, it's very easy to praise the Lord for making you, like David did in verse fourteen... But to ask God to make you more like Him - to ask for a test of your faith, so to speak - now that seems to be something completely different. Never in my life have I asked a teacher to give me a test, but here David is, asking God for just that.

So why does David do that? And why should we follow suit and do the same? 

As I re-read these two verses, I realize that normally these are things that we ask of God because we know they're what He wants for our lives. But why can't they be what we want too? 

"Search me...test me...know my thoughts...lead me."

Those are simple pleas to ask of the One who created you... He's a daddy who wants what's best for his kids, and who will very easily provide those things...if we ask.