Romans 7:14-25
verse 25: Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Paul describes the human condition of knowing what is right, but making bad decisions anyway. Sometimes for me it is acting impulsively- going with my feelings, saying what I feel like saying, and not taking time to look more closely at my choices. It is kind of ironic that I spend all day listening to others and putting myself in their shoes. I try to really understand their experience in life. There is no place for an emotional reaction on my part. I do control my responses and think before I speak. In my own life, with God, there is a lot of room for improvement. We all can stand to stop and think and ask ourselves if this is really what we want to say or do.
Father God, help me to be aware of your presence, every minute of every day. May my choices be good ones, free from sin, kind and considerate always. Amen
Becky, transforming
pic by Kay
Romans 7:14-25
The devil made me do it, I didn’t do it. It’s the sin in me that’s to blame. This sounds like a real good excuse but we are responsible for our own actions( it’s amazing how many people do not get this) We must never use sin or Satan as an excuse. Without Jesus, sin is stronger than we are and sometimes we forget how to defend ourselves against these attacks. Jesus has conquered sin once and for all, and his promise is to fight by our side. When we trust in Jesus we will not have to give in to sin. This is interesting because in prior scripture Paul is like a prosecutor in a court roo…
Romans 7:24 - “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
The seventh chapter of Romans is poignant and always hits me in the gut. Even for Paul, staying away from sin was a constant and frustrating struggle. Perhaps this anguished frustration is God’s way of reminding me I am indeed a wretched man in need of rescue and not the master of my universe. Without the Holy Spirit I will remain mired in the world’s system and way of living. It is by the Spirit and not any innate attribute of myself that will help me victoriously live my time here. I may be wretched, but I am assured that state is temporary.