Lent- O God

The meaning of God here is related to the root for strength and mighty. Some words that illustrate the kind of strength would be a political chief, a strong ram, an oak or other strong tree and a pilaster (a strong support.)

When going through the uses of this form of God in the Old Testament, it struck me that there were many different adjectives and descriptions used to show some of his character. Some of them are jealous, greatly to be feared, the avenger, not a man that he should lie. Others are most high, everlasting, healer, source of life, merciful, faithful, great, living, rock, full of compassion; the God who sees; the God of truth without iniquity, of knowledge; God is with us; the heavens declare the glory of God. This form of God is even used in the Psalm Jesus quotes as he is on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Ps. 22)

God is to be feared. He is jealous. He is strong. Yet his strength does not weaken in his compassion for us and protection over us.

So when I pray the beginning of David's prayer, "Search me, o God," I can be confident that I am exposing myself to a strong God. A God, who in the words of Mr. Beaver in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is not safe, but good.

Lent- Search Me

Search me

This term is often used when asking spies to get info on land or enemies. I am not a specialist, but I am assuming that a spy would try to get as much detailed of information as possible so that the right plan of action could be made for the attackers. My guess is that as a spy nothing is insignificant.

The Hebrew word for "search" can also be translated as follows:

1. taste - it is used in the context of wine tasting. This art has a lot to do with identifying subtle flavors.

2. see through- search is translated this way in Proverbs on a few occasions, and what it means in its context is to see past the outer mask and self-deception.

3. probe - to take an honest look at oneself

4. ponder- this translation appears quite often in Job. It has to do with listening very carefully to another person's arguments.

5. make search- Ezekiel 39:14 "...special crews will be appointed to search the land for any skeletons and to bury them, so the land will be made clean again."

6. investigate a case (used in Job)

7. ascertain- to be counted and known.

When David is asking God to search him, he is not asking for a quick run through to see if anything pops up. Rather, David is asking for a deep and thorough search; a turning on of lights in the entire house so that there are no shadows; a going through of the search machines at the airport that take nude pictures of you; a tasting of every flavor of you. When God searches like this, nothing is hidden. It is all out on the table. Or when thinking about the women caught in adultery, all of her and who she is, is naked out in the streets waiting to be condemned.

The season of Lent is a set time of year when I can say, "Here I am. Search me." And to be honest, it makes me nervous.
Thankfully, Lent ushers in Easter, and Easter makes the ending of the story of the adulterous woman possible:

"Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, 'Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?' 'No, Lord,' she said. And Jesus said, 'Neither do I. Go and sin no more.'"