Heart Tracks - Frisked

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24

In my younger days, there were a plethora of "cops and robbers" shows on TV. One common scene was when the police came upon a suspect in a crime. One of the officers would be given the command to "frisk him," which meant a thorough body search, seeing if a weapon or some kind of hidden evidence might be found. For the one being frisked, it was a humiliating experience. All they could do was stand still and submit to it. No one wants to be "frisked" by the police. Few are willing to experience it at the hands of the Father either.

Recently, a friend contacted me about something she'd read based upon His Word. She told me that what she experienced was being "frisked by the Holy Spirit." I really liked the way she put that. If we are to really and sincerely pray Psalm 139:23-24, the result will surely be a complete "frisking" by the Spirit of God. He will search for whatever hidden "evidence" we might be concealing, whether consciously or not.

Like the suspect with the police, this is a humbling experience for our flesh. To invite Him to search our hearts and lives requires that we be still before Him, and allow Him access to everything. No pocket of our lives can be held back. We can't conceal anything, and indeed, if we really pray that prayer, it is impossible to do so. All we can do is submit to the search.

I remember another thing about those old shows. Whenever the officers did find something, they would show it to the suspect. Their response was anger, denial, blaming someone else, or being ashamed of themselves. The last would lead to confession. The others did not. I think our response to the searching of the Spirit are the same. When the Lord seeks out the corruption, the sin in our lives, He will show it to us. Not to bring condemnation or shame upon us, but in the desire that when its brought out in the open, we would confess it, repent of it, and be made clean in it. This is another aspect of the process of being made whole. It is the response He wants. However, too often, we resort to those first responses; anger, evasion, denial, blaming someone else. This does not bring healing or wholeness. It just deepens the grip the sin has upon us, and draws us into deeper darkness. It is painful to our flesh for Him to bring these things into the Light, but when we respond as He would have us do, the result is Life. His Life.

A favorite group of mine from the Jesus movement of the 60's and 70's was Dogwood. In one of their songs, there is a lyric that goes, "He came to my heart, tore me apart, and put me back together again." When we invite Him to search us, to "frisk us," that is exactly what will take place. He tears apart what has been held in the domain of darkness and death, and rebuilds, transforms us, into what He created us to be.

Can we pray this prayer? Can we submit to the frisking of the Holy Spirit? Or do we seek to keep the evidence hidden, and hide in our denial and blame games? He seeks to search us out. Are we ready to yield to the search?

Blessings,
Pastor O