Wisely Weeding

Welcome to another Daily Encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional. Today's reading is titled, Wisely Weeding, and was written by Patricia Rabin. My grandchildren are running around my backyard.

Playing games? No, pulling weeds. Pulling them up by the roots, the youngest says, showing me a hefty prize. Her delight as we tackled weeds that day was how much we enjoyed plucking the weedy roots, clearing away each pesky menace.

Before the joy, however, came the choice to go after them. Intentional weeding is also the first step in removing personal sin. Thus, David prayed in Psalm 139, Search me, God, and know my heart.

See if there is any offensive way in me. What a wise approach to go after our sin by asking God to show it to us. He above all knows everything about us. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me, wrote the Psalmist. You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. Such knowledge, David added, is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Even before a sin takes root, therefore, God can alert us to the danger. He knows our landscape.

So when a sneaky sinful attitude tries to take root, He's first to know and point it out. Where can I go from your spirit, wrote David? Where can I flee from your presence? May we closely follow our Savior to higher ground.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 139 verses 1 through 6 and 23 through 24. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down. You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

And now verses 23 and 24. 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. Let's pray together. Loving God, you search us because we're incredibly good at fooling ourselves into thinking we don't need you to keep us from sin.

It's when we're in that frame of mind that we are most vulnerable. Lord, help us keep a humble heart and follow you as you lead us through this life. Protect us from the sin that is so harmful to us and to our witness for you. Help us to live lives that are a testimony to your faithfulness. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Thank you, Lord. Amen.