Geologically speaking, a fault is a breach in the rock. Humanly speaking, a fault is a sin causing a breach with God. Faults known to us may be hidden to others. Conversely, faults hidden to us may be obvious to others. King David said, “How can I know the sins lurking in my heart, [and be] cleansed from these hidden faults” (Ps. 92:12).
Ray Steadman answers, “God's way of dealing with hidden faults is either to send somebody to point them out to you or to bring them out through some circumstance in which you are suddenly confronted with what you have done or said and you find it is ugly and you do not like it. That is how God cleanses us from hidden faults. He opens up the secret places.”
Reflecting on Ray's words, it occurred to me that God's word comes in and fills up those secret, hidden places to make us faultless: "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee" (Ps. 119:11).
Greg,
ReplyDeleteTo ask the Lord, like David, to cleanse us from our hidden faults takes a genuine commitment to change. The revelations that He would bring to us about those things that are known to Him are a serious matter and we had better be prepared to back up our intentions with corresponding activity.
The fire of the Holy Spirit's conviction upon our heart is designed to indeed burn--we cannot escape the pain that comes with it. But this kind of pain is a redemptive kind in that it leads to more open fellowship and intimacy with our Lord. That is always God's goal, and we need to never lose sight of that!
Stan
it is indeed a very dangerous, risky prayer; and not one many will pray.
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