July 7th - Reflection

Romans 2:12-16 (NRSV)
God judges the secret thoughts
All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God's sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.
Reflection
It's not just hearing the law, it's when the law becomes written on your heart. When you give yourself to God and seek God's control in your life, the law becomes written upon your heart. God becomes part of your conscience and a guide to the things that you do or don't do. You discover that just hearing the law doesn't allow the law to be active in you. With the law written on your heart you realize the need for God and God's grace through Jesus.

We all possess some type of moral consciousness, but when that conscience moves from centering upon yourself to centering on God, you have God written upon your heart. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I seek not only to hear and see your Word, but I seek to experience it. I seek to act out on your Word in the way you wish for me to act. Work in me today with those you give to me. --- Amen