|
The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being. (Proverbs 20:27 NIV)
When I came to know Christ, He immediately set me free from many things. Things like a filthy mouth and immoral relationships. He gave me a new heart with a longing to love and obey Him. It was quite easy for me to think that initial work of God was the totality of His work within me, because He had done so much. But there was still much more to do within my heart, and there still is much left to do within me. Actually, there's much that God still has to do within all of us.
When Christ first took His abode within me, there was a tendency to only want to hear preaching about not drinking, smoking, and committing sexual immorality, because Christ had liberated me from those things. It was easy for me to be comfortable with preaching about those things, because I had victory over them. However, there were other things that plagued my heart. Many of them were hidden in the deep recesses of my heart and life. They were the hidden motives and desires of the "old nature''.
One of the names ascribed to the Holy Spirit is that of the Lamp of the Lord. Our fallen nature is so wicked, and it goes to the deepest part of our being. Yet, God's predetermined plan for our lives is that we be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). His desire and longing is that we become more and more like Jesus every single day.
Often we talk about having blind spots in our lives. They may be more accurately described as "dark" spots - places that are hidden in some dark corner of our lives. Often, these are the intangible places - places where attitudes and motives dwell. God has been so good to us that He has given us His Spirit to act as a lamp that shines in the deep parts of our hearts. He searches the innermost thoughts and motives of our hearts and minds. He enlightens us to His glorious truth and exposes every false motive and thought. He shows us the things that have been hidden from our ordinary eyesight or should I say insight.
The Psalmist once prayed, "Search me, O 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 NIV). Because God is the lamp of our souls, He does a wonderful job of searching our hearts. If we will simply cooperate with Him, we'll find ourselves becoming more and more like Christ.
The greatest danger in the Christian life is that we become satisfied with our present spiritual state. It's then that we cease being conformed into the image of Christ. It's then that we fall into the rut of nominal Christianity. The Christian life is a great adventure. It's one where a person never ceases growing. It's a life in which God is the lamp of our souls. Why don't you welcome the Lamp of the Lord into some of the dark parts of your life today? You might be surprised what He will show you.
|
