March 4 , 2009
“Learn What is Right”
Dear Friend,
We make an important spiritual step when we genuinely desire to be right and to do what is right. When we are spiritually immature, we prefer what is convenient and pleasurable above what is right. The next necessary step in spiritual development is to learn what is right. God participates in helping us to learn what is right, and He does this by testing us. On Sunday we considered the four ways God tests us:
- God examines us – As a doctor examines a patient to discern the signs of health and disease, God examines us
God scrutinizes us – As an art critic scrutinizes a painting to discern its authenticity, God helps us distinguish the authentic from the hypocritical.
God tries us – As we might try a computer program, God tries us to reveal to us what is useful and helpful in our lives.
God tests us – As a teacher tests students to determine their proficiency, God tests us.
When we see divine testing as God’s thoughtful approach to helping us understand what is right and effective, we feel inclined to pray with the psalmist:
“Search me and test me O Lord.”
God bless you as you grow in your capacity to be right and do right through divine testing.
Doc
Dr. Dave Collings
Lead Pastor
Christ Church
