This passage never fails to encourage me and remind me of my hope in the gospel. It frees me with its reassurance that NOTHING can separate me from the love of God, and it promises that all things work together for those who love God, but....BUT.
Suddenly, I'm not sure that all this victory really belongs to me and I start to feel like a pretender. Does anyone else feel this way?
Now I KNOW that in the verses right before these it says that Christ came to do what the law couldn't do. It says that He, not I, obeyed ever letter of the law so that my record could be spotless. I KNOW that the verses afterwards remind me that my actions can NEVER separate me from the God who loves me. And I KNOW that these things are true.
But what I ALSO KNOW is that there are days where I don't choose flesh over spirit. There times when I'm just done. There are moments when I swear I close my eyes for a second and choose my will, hoping God is closing His too, and there are seasons when I am so ashamed because I know He doesn't.
I am a sinner. My flesh is weak. I want God, but I also want my way and sometimes the crossroads are agonizing. Sometimes I wonder if I ever truly walk in the Spirit when I feel so much fleshly residue on my soul.
It's so EASY to choose Distraction when I should choose Devotion. If we want to get personal, its just simpler to choose 15 extra minutes on Facebook, a harsh response over immediate forgiveness, envy of our neighbor, sleep instead of the Word...
GOD, HELP US!
It is so DIFFICULT to be FAITHFUL in the little things! But those are the ones that count....
Make us like David who cries,
When the discouragement had started to take hold, God sent me a reminder in Romans 8:10.
Okay. God said it. The reality is that while I live, I will always be a body of sin. I will still fail and I will always be at war with the flesh.
BUT, the bottom line is this: Christ is righteousness enough for me. It is the Spirit of righteousness that is my life and that makes me pleasing to God, not my ability to keep the law. It is done.
I am clean because HE is clean.
How does a child walk with his father? Falteringly. Slowly. Holding his hand. One step at a time.
So it is with me and God.
It is my knowing Him and submitting one wobbly step at a time that sanctifies me.
I rest in the words of the Apostle Paul, in my identity as a person "not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith...." (Philippians 3:9)
The distinction between my body of sin and His Spirit of Righteousness will always be made clear. It it is these two things coming together in a paradox that makes the gospel miraculously beautiful. How HE could love US, will always be a mystery. May the power of knowing His atoning affection cause us to walk more faithfully with Him.
How is it that Death can be joined with Life?
Light wed Darkness,
And the eternal marry the finite?
It is only by the compassion of Christ
There it is. That nagging, "but" in the back of my mind raises its ugly head when I read this portion of the chapter:
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8)I read this and look at my life. Do I persistently set me mind on the Spirit? Or do I really just often times live my life? Am I putting to death the deeds of the body or am I just picking and choosing the battles with my old nature, according to connivence?
Suddenly, I'm not sure that all this victory really belongs to me and I start to feel like a pretender. Does anyone else feel this way?
Now I KNOW that in the verses right before these it says that Christ came to do what the law couldn't do. It says that He, not I, obeyed ever letter of the law so that my record could be spotless. I KNOW that the verses afterwards remind me that my actions can NEVER separate me from the God who loves me. And I KNOW that these things are true.
But what I ALSO KNOW is that there are days where I don't choose flesh over spirit. There times when I'm just done. There are moments when I swear I close my eyes for a second and choose my will, hoping God is closing His too, and there are seasons when I am so ashamed because I know He doesn't.
I am a sinner. My flesh is weak. I want God, but I also want my way and sometimes the crossroads are agonizing. Sometimes I wonder if I ever truly walk in the Spirit when I feel so much fleshly residue on my soul.
It's so EASY to choose Distraction when I should choose Devotion. If we want to get personal, its just simpler to choose 15 extra minutes on Facebook, a harsh response over immediate forgiveness, envy of our neighbor, sleep instead of the Word...
GOD, HELP US!
It is so DIFFICULT to be FAITHFUL in the little things! But those are the ones that count....
Make us like David who cries,
"My FLESH and my HEART may fail, but GOD is the STRENGTH of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26)
When the discouragement had started to take hold, God sent me a reminder in Romans 8:10.
"But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
Okay. God said it. The reality is that while I live, I will always be a body of sin. I will still fail and I will always be at war with the flesh.
BUT, the bottom line is this: Christ is righteousness enough for me. It is the Spirit of righteousness that is my life and that makes me pleasing to God, not my ability to keep the law. It is done.
I am clean because HE is clean.
How does a child walk with his father? Falteringly. Slowly. Holding his hand. One step at a time.
So it is with me and God.
It is my knowing Him and submitting one wobbly step at a time that sanctifies me.
I rest in the words of the Apostle Paul, in my identity as a person "not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith...." (Philippians 3:9)
The distinction between my body of sin and His Spirit of Righteousness will always be made clear. It it is these two things coming together in a paradox that makes the gospel miraculously beautiful. How HE could love US, will always be a mystery. May the power of knowing His atoning affection cause us to walk more faithfully with Him.
"Paradoxical Kiss"
How is it that Death can be joined with Life?
Light wed Darkness,
And the eternal marry the finite?
It is only by the compassion of Christ
that Spirit could unite with Flesh,
Peace come together with Enmity,
Wealth join hands with Poverty,
and, Purity meet Filth
In a paradoxical kiss.
Nowhere else can love be seen
in this magnitude
as when Holiness takes the defiled to be His bride.
Oh heart!
Sing of the moment when Mercy was betrothed to Condemnation!
Shout for the union of God and man!
For here your hate finds love,
your despair finds joy,
and your turmoil
Peace come together with Enmity,
Wealth join hands with Poverty,
and, Purity meet Filth
In a paradoxical kiss.
Nowhere else can love be seen
in this magnitude
as when Holiness takes the defiled to be His bride.
Oh heart!
Sing of the moment when Mercy was betrothed to Condemnation!
Shout for the union of God and man!
For here your hate finds love,
your despair finds joy,
and your turmoil
at last
finds rest.
finds rest.
