As a former public school teacher (and before that a student for life), I learned that tests that examine what has been learned from the previous lessons are mandatory for the good of the student.  We can guess what students have learned by observing and listening, but these are merely “gut” reactions led by our intuitive judgements and cannot truly be measured.  It is through tests, pop quizzes, and weekly exams that quantify what has been internalized by the student from listening, observing, demonstrating, participating in hands-on experiments, and finally applying what has been learned.

David is a Learner.  Learners are great leaders. Let’s take this idea a bit farther; when leaders cease to learn, their leadership suffers greatly.  We have watched leaders cease to lead because they cease to learn.  

David not only wants to know God; he seeks the wisdom and help he needs from God.  God is his teacher who provides the lessons David needs to learn. David was not perfect; he was human like the rest of us. But he knew the One who was perfect and who would guide him on the right path.

David’s psalms are full of repentance and failed tests but the words to his songs also include his awesome reverence for His Teacher, God, who examines him from head to toe because of his unfailing love for him. David runs to the One, the Only One worthy to forgive him knowing he will receive mercy with makeup exams so the lessons from God until the learning becomes a part of him.  David craves to be examined by God!  Do we?

We see how the heart of God can be found within the heart of David.  This comes through real life lessons and tests that help us to become more the One who created us “in His own image.”

Psalm 26, The Message

Clear my name, God;
    I’ve kept an honest shop.
I’ve thrown in my lot with you, God, and
    I’m not budging.

² Examine me, God, from head to foot,
    order your battery of tests.
Make sure I’m fit
    inside and out

³ So I never lose
    sight of your love,
But keep in step with you,
    never missing a beat.

^4-5 I don’t hang out with tricksters,
    I don’t pal around with thugs;
I hate that pack of gangsters,
    I don’t deal with double-dealers.

^6-7 I scrub my hands with purest soap,
    then join hands with the others in the great circle,
    dancing around your altar, God,
Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
    telling God-stories.

^8-10 God, I love living with you;
    your house glows with your glory.
When it’s time for spring cleaning,
    don’t sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
Men with bags of dirty tricks,
    women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

^11-12 You know I’ve been aboveboard with you;
    now be aboveboard with me.
I’m on the level with you, God;
    I bless you every chance I get.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:2-5 NIV 

Some lessons are harder than others to learn but all are beneficial to our spiritual growth as one who believes and listens to the Teacher.  We learn that God allows tough situations in our lives to refine us and bring us closer to him. We should approach these times with a right attitude and seek wisdom from God. Instead of the whine of “why me” we should pause to ask “what do you want we to know and do, Lord?”

David’s prayers are lessons in and of themselves for us!  David not only prayed for forgiveness; but for the mercy of God in the messes he made!  He asked God to examine everything about him with guidance to get back on the right path with God!  We love that about David the Learner!  

As I teacher, I knew that if I put the spelling list on the board but never asked them to write them down, practice spelling them daily, or apply the words by creating sentences; they would joyfully move on to playing with toys or messing around with each other. If I also told them, “Here are the words but don’t worry there won’t be a test,” I know that most if not all of them would forget the list altogether.  What is not tested is not learned.

Is that how we are with God’s lessons in His Word taught to us by His Holy Spirit? Do we run from the tests or ask God for them like David to make sure we are learning our lessons from God? 

Ah, now it gets personal. Pause to be still and pray while I talk to God myself.

Oh Lord,

Examine me from head to toe, see if there is any offensive way in me. When there is, please remove it from me.  Cleanse my heart, renew my mind, refresh and feed my soul and daily restore the joy of your salvation at work within me so I will be more and more like you. 

Thank you, Jesus for being the Master Teacher, the Word made flesh who moved into the neighborhood of humanity to reiterate and demonstrate what God has been saying since the beginning of Creation. Then you laid down your life to pay for our sins.  You alone are worthy to grade us and grow us and put us back on the right road with you.

To you be all glory, honor, and praise! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen