The Lord desires that we strive to live a life to please Him. There are many examples where the Lord tested His people to see what was in their hearts. Many times, He sent His spirit to keep us from sinning against Him. The Hebrews were tested in the wilderness and another great example is found in Genesis regarding Abraham, Sarah, and king Abimelech. Because Abraham was afraid that foreigners would take Sarah as their wife and kill him, he and Sarah acted as brother and sister to prevent this from happening.

Genesis 20:2-6:

“And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah; but God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife; but Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this; and God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.”

It is beautiful knowledge to know that the Lord loves us so much that He moves our heart not to go against Him. One thing is for certain, no one goes without scrutiny, search, and testing.

Jeremiah 17:10

“I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

1 Chronicles 28:9

“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”

And every child of light should echo:

“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).