Yesterday, I flew into a small airfield near Rickmansworth on the north-west corner of London. The last time I visited Denham was back in 1999 after the company I worked for was taken over and relocated to Stockley Park near Heathrow. Though I had no intention of commuting there every day, I did negotiate with this airfield a cheaper than normal landing fee and that they would build me on a monthly basis. In the event, I only flew there once before leaving the company and they never sent me a bill for my one visit. Since that time however I have never forgotten that I owed them £6 for landing there, and so yesterday when I visited the control tower to pay for my landing I volunteered to pay my outstanding debt from 1999. The person I dealt with seemed quite amused by my offer and refused it, I guess it would be more hassle than it’s worth trying to figure out how to account for it; though now, my conscience is clear over the issue.
Paul wrote to the Church in Rome:- For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Chefs and blacksmiths have one thing in common, they both work with hot materials. Every time that they burn their fingers – even slightly, the nerve endings are damaged. This may mean that they feel less pain when they touch hot materials, but the purpose of the pain is to protect them from injury. In the same way, God has given us a conscience to protect us from everlasting damage. As Gentiles, we may not have an understanding of the Mosaic Law, but that law has been written on our hearts by the finger of God (Holy Spirit).
I remember when I came to faith in Christ back in 1982, that my conscience which for several years had become less and less effective as I hardened my heart, suddenly had new life breathed into it and the volume was dramatically turned up. Before my conversion, I lied so much that I didn’t know when I was telling the truth. Now with my ‘new’ conscience I instinctively knew that I must listen to it at all times because it was a gift from God.
Reinhard Bonnke once told a story of a man who parked his car opposite a brothel intending to use the services of the women who worked there. As he approached the building and his conscience was giving him severe grief, he said to the Holy Spirit “just leave me alone for half an hour”. 25 years later he knocked on the door of Reinhard Bonnke’s trailer and asked the evangelist to pray for him. He told Bonnke that in the interim period he had lost his wife, family and career; all for half an hour’s pleasure.
If your conscience is troubling you today, thank God for not giving up on you and deal with the problem whilst there is time.
