“Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, ‘My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.’ ” Acts 23:1
What a statement of confidence and assurance. Paul, standing before the leaders of the Jewish faith with shoulders back and head high proclaimed his faith. In spite of opposition and pressure to conform, he stood firm and resolute with a clear conscience. He knew he was in good standing with God.
I wonder if I could in all honesty stand up in church and say the same thing. Have I served God wholeheartedly up to today? Have I turned to Him when I have sinned and asked for forgiveness and instruction? Have I been His vessel, putting His will before my own?
The wonderful thing is each morning is new with our Lord. Each day we can start afresh renewed by His grace and restored by His mercy. He is a God of second chances, no multiple chances, who always is ready to love even in admonishment. We can wake up each morning and decide to choose to serve Him first above all else. We can confess our sins and by Jesus’ blood be washed clean again. He casts our confessed sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more.
Paul knew that, he preached it and lived it. So can you and I. Yes, we can stand and say that we have fulfilled our duty to God in all good conscience to this day, and each day in Jesus’ name. How great is our God, and worthy to be praised!
Heavenly Father, we come to you with a contrite and humbled heart. Forgive us our past iniquities and renew a right spirit within us. Let us turn our clean slate over to You so You can inscribe on it what Your will is for us today. Then strengthen us to serve you with heads high and shoulders back, knowing that through Your Son’s sacrifice for us we are in good standing. Amen
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly… No only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received reconciliation.” Romans 5: 6,11
