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Day 26 Psalm 26 Psalm 26:1 < Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 3 For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. 4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. 5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash mine hands in innocence: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD: 7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. 8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwells. 9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. 12 My foot stands in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD. How often do you examine your life? Have you examined your life? Or is that something you do only when your time on earth is drawing to a close and you want to make certain you lived a good life before God? David examined his life often. He wanted to be certain he was on the right path with God, that he had followed the law, and instructed his household in the ways of the Lord. He went often to the synagogue to worship God and he did not mingle with anyone who did not follow God but walked in foolishness. Our motto today is to live it up – eat, drink, and be merry. There will always be time to examine our lives, and yet how foolish is that? Jesus told a parable about a foolish man who wanted to build bigger barns. Luke 12:16 And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. We do not know the number of our days. Only God does. As such we need to live our lives as pleasing to God, examining it often to make certain we are living it according to God’s will for our lives and not our own. James 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou know not what a day may bring forth. David told God to judge him and see his integrity. He told God to prove him to see how he lived his life. Can you do the same? Can you examine your life and see it perfect before God? You might say, but David sinned with Bathsheba. Yes, he did, but he also confessed his sin and made himself right before God in doing so. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; However, when we confess our sin as David did, God will hear our repentant heart, and forgive and cleanse us from all wrongdoing. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV) David had nothing to worry about when he told God to judge and prove him and see the integrity of his heart. We can have that same assurance. We can ask God to look at our lives, to judge it, and see our hearts and determine our integrity. Examine your life today. See whether anything would bring reproof from God and determine to make a change so you can tell God to examine it and see the integrity of your life. Let’s pray: Father, help me examine my life to see if there is anything that would bring dishonor to you and help me change my life so it will be a life of integrity before you always. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 14 April 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay