Down To The Bone
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“Sir, can you please empty your pockets of everything?” “That’s it. I don’t have anything else,” I said. “Do you have a belt on?” “Oh yeah. My bad,” I said as I hurried to take it off. A really nice, but stern lady said, “Ok, stand up here, put your feet on the yellow footprints underneath you, and raise both arms.” I felt like I was getting arrested. (Not that I’ve ever been arrested before. And if I had, I probably wouldn’t be writing about it.) “Higher!” she said. The machine makes this swirling motion, as if detecting every last thing you have anywhere on you.
They then passed me off to the next person. Another TSA agent said, “Sir, can you step right down here please.” He pauses for a second and says, “Is there anything in your right pocket?” “Nope,” I replied. “Nothing in your right pocket?” he said. Well, at that point, I just decided to check and found a couple of notes I had scribbled to myself. I pulled them out, the guard was satisfied, and released me to get my stuff and move on.
Those x-ray machines don’t miss anything. Neither does God’s word, the ultimate search test. Check this out. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Wow, it gets down to the bone.
This kind of searching could produce fear and anxiety or help us grow in character and holiness. It all depends on whether you see God as a never-pleased judge whose ultimate goal is your punishment or as a loving Father who knows and wants the best for you. One is a lie, and one is the truth. What God would send His only Son to be brutally beaten and killed by guilty people had He not had a greater plan of love in mind?
Today, choose the truth. Empty your pockets. Maybe it’s a prayer of confession you need right now. Remember David? (That guy messed up big time…and hid it.) This prayer has a new meaning when you trust that God loves you first…junk and all. Here it goes… Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about. See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong, then guide me on the road to eternal life. Ps 139:23 Msg
Oh yeah, my dentist had one of those panoramic, circling thingamajigs in his office the other day too. He could see everything down to the roots. This time, it was all good. His only comment, “Next time don’t wait so long to come in.”