“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”

— John 15:4-5

This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)

romans 7:15-25

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that the good does not dwell within me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do the good lies close at hand, but not the ability. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that, when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched person that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

The struggle is real! St. Paul gives us a glimpse into his spiritual challenges by disclosing his frustration with not living into the Christian life like he desires. He exclaims, “I do not do what I want to do, but I do the very thing that I hate!” We can imagine how devastating this would be for this highly respected scholar and rabbi who spent his life studying and living out the law—all 612 of them in the Jewish tradition. After meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus years before, Paul’s life was forever transformed. God had given him a new heart and a new life, but he constantly battled living into the ways of Jesus. No wonder he exclaimed, “Wretched person that I am!” He did not understand himself and could not make sense of why he did what he did.

I think we can all relate. It’s refreshing to read that the author of 13 books in our New Testament, the great missionary, and leader of the early church, struggled with sin just like you and me. In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning agrees: “In every encounter we either give life or we drain it; there is no neutral exchange. And in the secret place of our hearts, we all wrestle with the same demons—fear, pride, lust, anger—only grace can name them and heal them.” We long to live better than we do but, like Paul, we still struggle with sin, we choose our own ways, and make unhealthy choices that hurt us and others while dampening our relationship with God. We can get a sense of Paul’s exasperation as he finally asks, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Paul can’t fix this himself!

Paul gives us the answer to his own question, and it is not what most of us expect. Paul does not tell us we just need to try harder, feel more guilty and ashamed, or even be work at being more holy! Instead, he points us to Jesus and invites us to draw nearer to him. Paul knows the ultimate answer to his problem is Jesus, and he spends the rest of this letter explaining how to allow Him to have expression in our lives. So, while Paul admits that the daily struggle with sin is real, he also celebrates that God’s grace is ever greater. No wonder Paul continually sought refuge and strength, love, and mercy in the presence of the Rescuer Himself, Jesus our Savior. Jesus made all the difference in his life and can do the same in ours as well.

“Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Prayer:

God, I am your child, but I struggle to live out my faith. I don’t always live the way I want, and I often choose my own way. Forgive me. Help me. Rescue me. I surrender my life and my journey to Jesus my Rescuer, the One who loves me and offers me grace and love beyond what I can imagine. Amen!

QUESTION FOR REFLECTION:

Paul writes, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Are you surprised by his statement? Do you relate to this struggle?

Consider the quote by Brennan Manning. What does he mean by “...there is no neutral exchange?” Why is naming our struggles with sin so important for healing and spiritual wholeness?

John Mark Comer writes in Live No Lies, “But the New Testament is incredibly open about the dark underbelly of the human heart, and we are invited to explore it under the loving gaze of God’s compassion.” Why is compassion so important when it comes to confession and being honest about our sin?

Where do you need “rescuing” in your life?

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