A Closer Examination

I had a dental check-up today. I was braced for getting x-rays, which I hate. Thankfully, that will be my next visit. I had a wonderful talk with the dental assistant. Conversation got tough at times because there was always a dental tool in mouth during the exam. I mentioned that I had a tooth that had become very sensitive lately. She looked at it closely but wasn’t sure what exactly caused the sensitivity. She cleaned and polished everything so that it was ready for the dentist to see. He looked at the same tooth and thought he could see some issues with the filling in the tooth which was probably put in there in the 70's. He figured that the filling would have to be drilled out, cleaned up, and then refilled. He was confident that it would solve my sensitivity issues. What the assistant couldn’t see, the dentist seemed confident of the solution. Only time will tell. We have someone else that sees us more clearly than we can. I am not talking about our spouse or a dear friend. I am clearly referring to Jesus. With the sore tooth, I couldn’t fix it myself. I needed to depend on the expert, the dentist. Likewise, I sometimes find there is sin hidden in my heart that I am not always readily aware of for which I need the expert, Jesus, to remove. I can often hide it from the world and even friends, but it lays bare before my Father in heaven. I can either struggle with my relationship with God or allow Him to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Some of the words from the hymn, “Search Me O Lord” fit this concept. “Search me, O God, and know my heart today; try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me; cleanse me from ev'ry sin and set me free.” The second verse also says, “I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin; fulfill Thy Word and make me pure within. Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame; grant my desire to magnify Thy name.” The hunger for a pure walk with God and a complete submission to His authority over my life drive me to open my heart fully to God that He might cleanse me and fill that void with His holy fire. My sin drives me to Christ, and my love drives me to be merciful to those around me. Father, cleanse me from all unrighteousness, fill me with Your presence, and direct my heart to do Your will. Amen