I love the Bible. I love the comfort that the Word of God brings during difficult times. I love how it fits into all aspects of my life and has a relevance, even in the craziest of times. I have also noticed that the Word of God has a way of pointing out my areas of weakness. It has a way of taking the things I am lacking in and bringing them to the front of my consciousness and guiding me back on track. Sometimes I come across scriptures that bring the peace, love, and joy of God, and sometimes I come across the ones that hit hard in my life. Few scriptures have hit as hard as this one:
Romans 7:15 NKJV “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”
To put it bluntly, this reminds me of what a piece of crap I really am. I know exactly what Paul is talking about. I know exactly what it feels like to do the wrong thing; going against everything I have come to know as truth. I constantly find myself in a position of doing what I hate and turning from what I know is right. I don’t understand why I knowingly let myself get snagged and beaten down by temptation and sin. It’s like I’m reaching out for a hot stove, knowing it will burn me, yet not caring enough to turn away, ultimately burning my hand over and over again.
I really like the Message Bibles version of this verse:
Romans 7:15 Message“What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise.”
I do those things that I absolutely despise. I do them, not because I want to, not because I long to, but because many times my spirit wanes and my flesh rules. I get so frustrated when I fall into the same situations and sins time after time. I get tired of the guilt associated with sin. I get tired of having to continually confess and repent, only to fall back into the same thing again. I get tired of having to apologise to those I hurt when I have a lapse in spiritual judgement And mostly, I am tired of making God look bad by letting my witness and testimony tarnish under the weight of temptation and sin.
The most amazing thing about God’s Word is that, even in the lowest moments in my life, it can lift me back up with just one passage. I remember one minister, while preaching on a relatively harsh topic, said, “Don’t worry, I’ll sew you back up before we’re done.” He was referring to the fact that what the Word said cut so deep that we can feel the wounds. When what the Word talks about causes us deep conviction, when our conscience is cut wide open for our hearts to see, God can use the same Word to sew us back up. He can bring spiritual healing through the His love brought forth through His Word.
Romans 3:21-26 Message “But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.”
I don’t understand why God would love an idiot like me! I don’t understand why God puts up with me, but He does! I don’t understand why He keeps giving me another chance after I have made a mockery of Him, but He does! Above it says, “Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself.” Out of a love so deep for us that John 3:16 says drove Him to sacrifice His own Son. His love for me is so strong that He would have done the same thing if I was the only person on earth. He would have done the same thing if you were the only person on earth. Sin is no longer the issue with God. He took care of it some two thousand years ago. The issue now is in us and our ability to take this “pure gift” and do with it what He intended us to do. It is not our job to get hung up on our short comings, but instead to focus on our calling. God saw a strength in you before you were born and everything He has done in your life has been done to bring you to that place of victory over Satan. Everything that God has done in your life is to bring you to this point. Today is the day of change. Don’t get hung up on the crazy short comings and weaknesses you struggle with, but rather, focus on your source of strength. Jesus came to give you life, and it more abundantly. He came to give you a full life, and that includes victory over the enemy and his work in your life.
The next time you feel down about sin, remember that we have a way out and that way out is through Jesus Christ. The covering of sin in the Old Testament is gone, and now, in the New Testament, we can rid ourselves of it once and for all! Plead the blood of Jesus and let His sacrifice give you the victory today!