Mar 27 2009
When Conscience Dies
What is a conscience? To put it simply, it’s a limiting influence that keeps us in line, convicting us when we do wrong. Merriam Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary defines it like this: The “consciousness of moral goodness or blameworthiness in one’s own conduct, intentions, or character, together with the feeling of obligation to do right or be good.”
We are all born with a conscience. But is it possible to kill the conscience? It absolutely is. That’s exactly what hardened criminals do. They harden themselves to the needs of others to get what they want.
Right now our President and lawmakers are stifling the voice of conscience to get rich and blow other people’s money withour regard for their needs. May God break their hearts and not let them rest or have peace until they repent.
What about us? In what areas do we stifle our feelings of guilt? We humans are masters of rationalization, finding ways of excusing ourselves, while holding others to a much higher standard.
We’ve all done it, but it’s still wrong. Psalm 38:3- “There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin, for my iniquities are gone over my head.”
All we have to do is watch the news and weather to see that God is turning things upside down in America today. Right now there are blizzards, tornadoes, flooding, drought, and fires going on across our country. Judgment is at the door, and God is giving us one more chance to tune our hearts to hear conviction. The Holy Spirit is calling us to “Prepare the way of the Lord, and make His paths straight.” It’s time to humble ourselves and bow our hearts to God, to clean up our act, and turn around and go the right way.
Are we doing that? Time is short, and we stifle the voice of conscience and the Holy Spirit to our eternal peril.
What are you doing to prepare the way of the Lord?
Because of His great love,
Nancy
