I appreciate today’s technology that helps keep us safe. Between my car’s collision avoidance system and the new technology I’m using to monitor my glucose levels, I should be safer than ever! That is, as long as I heed the warnings they give me.
In my 30+ years as a Type 1 Diabetic I have seen many changes in diabetic care. The most notably changes have been in new types of insulin and improved delivery systems. I recently started using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to improve my health by better monitoring my glucose levels. Now, with a sensor inserted in my abdomen, I get constant glucose readings. Should they go above or below the acceptable ranges, an alarm warns me. Has it helped? It has as long as I pay attention to the warnings the technology provides.
While you may be unfamiliar with CGM, you’re likely to be familiar with the new safety technology found in today’s cars. My car’s collision avoidance system not only tells me when I veer out of my lane but it also warns if there is something behind me when I am backing up. It will signal me with an audio alarm and provide steering assist to get me back in my lane and brake assist should a hazard suddenly appear.
You might ask, “Wouldn’t it be great if there was something similar to help us in our lives? Something like the CGM or the collision warning system that alerts us before we approach danger. ” Thankfully there is. God has given each of us a conscious that alerts us to recognize right and wrong. In Romans 2 Paul says, “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.” (14-15)
Joe Carter writes how the conscience is “a part of our God-given internal faculties, a critical inner awareness that bears witness to the norms and values we recognize when determining right or wrong. Conscience does not serve as a judge or a legislator; that is a modern take on the concept. Instead, in the Biblical sense, conscience serves as a witness to what we already know.” Haven’t you noticed this? Don’t we know that lying is wrong even before the alarm goes off?
The alarm sounds when I deviate from the truths I know that reflect God’s character and nature. My CGM alarms me when my glucose levels deviate from medically recognized healthy levels. The collision warning system warns me when I stray from the lanes marked on the road. Likewise, we know that lying, cheating and stealing is wrong not merely because of some social standards but because God has written His truth onto our hearts which convict us when we step outside of His standards.
Just as the CGM and the collision avoidance system are intended to keep me safe, so is the conviction of sin that God brings to us. Remember the purpose of the alarms is to allow us to arrive safely at our destination. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so that we may repent and find forgiveness. “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:19) The question is, “Will we listen to the warnings?”
If I choose to listen, I am promised that not only will I know forgiveness but much more. In Acts 2, after Peter gives his sermon that gives birth to the church, the people ask, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (38)
Both my CGM and my car’s avoidance system are constantly reminding me of the right way to go. When I embrace their warnings I will arrive at my destination safely. God has given us His Holy Spirit to not only convict us of our sin but to be our Comforter and Counselor as well. When I have come to Christ by faith, received forgiveness, I can be thankful for the warnings. I can see how they are given to bring me life. So, turn up the volume. Listen to God’s words and discover all that the Lord has for you.