Satisfied?

     I was reading this week about Paul's arrest in Jerusalem as told to us in Acts 21 - 23.  As Paul went before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious council he said "I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day." 

     This statement reveals that Paul was comfortable with whatever was in his future.  If the Sanhedrin decided to put him to death, he was okay with that decision.  If the council decided to put him in prison, he was okay with that decision.  If the council decided to let him go free, he was okay with that decision.  The reason he was comfortable with whatever decision that would be made is that he knew that he had been faithful to the task or the duty that God had given to him.

     I like the way he phrased it by stating "to this day."  In other words right up to that moment he was content with what he had done.  This idea of having fulfilled his duty made me question my own duty.  If God was to call me home today, would I be satisfied with my duty to God?  Could I in good conscience say that I have done all that I could do up to this very day?

      I hate to admit it but I know that I have not done everything I could do to fulfill my duty to God.  I am not talking about working to earn my salvation as that would be impossible, but I am talking about fulfilling my responsibility as a servant of God and more importantly as a child of God.  I am afraid that I have allowed past failures and disappointments to dictate many of my present actions.  Sometimes I feel as if I am frozen in slow motion.  Or maybe I am frozen in inactivity.  I realize that in many ways I have not fulfilled my duty.

     How about you?  Do you have a clear conscience that you have fulfilled your duty to this day?  So many times we get so involved in living life that we forget what life is to be lived for!  We allow so many things to impact our lives we often need to ask are we letting the right things impact our lives?   I made a statement the other night that is relevant for this post.  Perhaps the greatest pit that any of us could find ourselves in is to have everything to live with and nothing to live for.  Who do you live for?  Are you content with your commitment to God?  Only you can answer that question.

     There is an old hymn that we do not sing in church much anymore that speaks to this question.  Look at the words of the chorus:

I am satisfied, I am satisfied,

I am satisfied with Jesus,

But the question comes to me,

As I think of Calvary,

Is my Master satisfied with me?

     How do you answer this question?  Can you like Paul say "I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day?"