No excuses

“But I didn’t know. I have a clean conscience.”

Those were the words of Abimelech when he took Abraham’s wife to be his own.

And he was right. Abraham and Sarah both lied to him, saying that she was Abraham’s sister. So Abimelech took Sarah as his own wife.

But God confronted Abimelech saying, “You’re a dead man because you’ve taken another man’s wife as your own.”

And while Abimelech truly didn’t know, he still had sinned, and his sin needed to be atoned for.

How often do we sin, and not even notice? Probably a lot more often than we think.

That’s why it’s a good idea at the end of the day to ask God to search your heart. Because if you don’t, you may find a block between you and God, and you won’t even know why.

David knew this and so he prayed,

Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. (Psalm 19:12–13, NIV)

In another prayer, he said,

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23–24)

Lord, how often do I do things that put a block between you and me and don’t even know it? Please forgive me.

Make me more sensitive to your Holy Spirit so that when I sin, I notice it and can confess it to you.

As David prayed, forgive my hidden faults. See if there is any offensive way in me. And keep me from willful sins in my life that would damage my relationship with you.

In Jesus’ name, amen.