God's X-Rays

From: Echoes of Grace: 1974

From: Echoes of Grace: 1956

• 2 min. read • grade level: 4

God has His spiritual X-rays!

"The Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Sam. 16:7⁷But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7). "His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men." Psa. 11:4⁴The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. (Psalm 11:4). "Thou understandest my thought afar off." Psa. 139:2²Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. (Psalm 139:2). "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins." Jer. 17: 10.

Would you and I like our inner history to be published or revealed? God's X-rays reveal all. And if sin is not blotted out by atonement, the "plates" as it were will come up for judgment. No one can play with sin: it is a dreadful reality. God knows what we desire—imagine—think. He will bring every work into judgment.

Are you unmoved? As the tubercular spot is shown up by the X-rays, so your hidden sin will come to light at God's investigation.

"Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord." Jer. 23:24²⁴Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24).

An evil man "hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten, He hideth His face; He will never see." Psa. 10:11¹¹He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. (Psalm 10:11).

God's answer is clear: "They consider not in their hearts that I remember." Hos. 7:2²And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. (Hosea 7:2). "I know the things that come into your mind." Ezek. 11:5⁵And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. (Ezekiel 11:5).

Many who say, "I have done no one any harm... I have a clean sheet... I stand as good a chance as any," boast unthinkingly. Some even stifle consciousness of wrong by vain talk. Let there be a deep sense of God's permanent record that is being made, and they will speak less of themselves.

God's X-rays have a subduing effect. They cannot lie. Nothing escapes His notice. Nothing is too small for His piercing investigation. Neither you nor I can blur it out, or blot it out. But "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin."

There is a hope, a sure hope; there is one, and only one. All else fails. The blood of Christ never fails. Let guilt be acknowledged; let the precious atonement of the one Redeemer be realized. Then and only then there is "peace with God," which abides never to be changed to judgment.

Reader, God's X-rays prevent all self-confidence. But the very One who knew all your guilt has provided complete salvation at infinite cost. God reigns through righteousness. It is grace abounding, grace triumphant. You and I have no "chance" of salvation in ourselves; but such as we are welcome NOW to a sure salvation in Christ.

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