Dear friends,
We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk.
You are welcome to share this and include in your church newsletters if you wish; we ask that you please give credit to NTC and the author. Thank you!
Romans 7:15-25a
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Devotional
I was listening this morning to Keith’s Greens song “Grace by which I stand,” and was deeply convicted as I read this passage in Romans 7:15-25, once again. I know that when I first came to know Christ these words of both Paul and Mr. Green were foreign to me; never would I have believed that my first love would grow cold or never would have I imagined that the words Paul spoke would ring so true as they do to me today. This chapter is found smack dab in between chapter 6 in which Paul is speaking about being freed from sin through identifying with the death of Christ and chapter 8 in which he speaks of now having “no condemnation in Christ Jesus.” Where it is situated perfectly displays the struggle one faces within the Christian life. With the deep burning desire to uphold God’s law vs. the remains of sin that persists within our fallen body. We deeply desire to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, yet do we stop and pray for even an hour to be in communion with him or does the business of life draw us away? We have a deep longing to love our neighbor as ourselves, yet, how often do we find it truly challenging to forgive those who have deeply wronged us rather than seek our own justice and take revenge? These are just two examples of the temptations that sin entices us with and two examples of how the distractions of life take priority over our “first love.”
Yet, verse 25 of our passage is a beautiful reminder that we have been adopted into the family of God. Yes, we still struggle with sin in our mortal bodies but sin no longer reigns within us. We are no longer bound to sin like slaves but are servants of righteousness. Through the atonement we have been redeemed, set free, and have been reconciled to God. As we surrender our lives and wills at the foot of the cross each day in repentance, let us allow the love of God to so envelop our hearts that we resonate with what Mr Wesley says, when he states that it is God’s “love that expels sin.” In turn being drawn each day back to our first love.
Prayer
Lord, we confess that we have sinned in word, thought, and deed and have not loved you and others the way we should. The way in which you have commanded us. Have mercy upon us oh God. Like Paul, we have the desire to uphold your law but too often are led astray by temptations and distractions that keep us from You. We thank you for your amazing grace. May we be a people who walk in holiness, cultivate your love within our lives, and in all we do may we bring glory to You. Thank you for all that you are doing, all that you have done, and simply for who You are. Amen
Julie McKenzie
Office Manager and NTC Student