Alarmed

Our smoke alarm has just been woken from slumber by some lightly over-cooked toast. Any in the house who were still asleep will also have been awakened. But the alarm itself is a potential life-saver, and we are glad to have it. The occasional false alarm is a price worth paying. But if it goes off too often when there is no danger, we shall be tempted to remove the battery, with potentially deadly consequences.
As human beings, we are all designed with a God-given alarm system, which we usually call our conscience. St. Paul describes the way his aim in life. 'I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.' (Acts 24.16)
But the Bible has many warnings about the dangers of ignoring or warping our consciences. Writing to his colleague Titus, Paul makes some striking comments. 'Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live.' (Titus 1.15-16a)
All of us need to allow God to re-calibrate our minds and consciences, so that we are led according to His will and purpose, rather than just following the crowd. How will you do that today?
Best wishes,
Richard