LET'S TEST THIS!

 

The most important piece of equipment we own is a tractor. We use it to do many things around the property, and each time I get a new piece of equipment, I test it to see what it can do. Can I lift these blocks or stones? Can I mow over these weeds and small trees? Can I pull these logs up the hill? Can I plow and till the ground to plant a garden? My tractor saves me a lot of work, and I know what it can do after I test it.

I mention that because in our Psalm (26) today, we heard, “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.” Has anyone ever tested your heart and your mind? Your teachers and parents test your mind. They want to see what you remember from your lesson, and so they give you a test or ask you at dinner, “What did you learn in school today?”

Your mom and dad tested each other’s hearts because they wanted to make sure that they wanted to marry this person. They tested your heart this morning when they told you that you were coming to church instead of sleeping late. They were testing you to see if you love God more than yourself.

God tests our minds and hearts by giving us the Commandments to follow; the Creed to believe; and the Lord’s Prayer to pray. God gave us Jesus to see if we would follow Him and His teaching rather than the false teachings of the world, the devil or other people.

Every morning, we should ask God to test us so that He can know how much we love Him by seeing what we will do for Him and how we will treat others this day. With that, let us pray.

Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.