Tonight my thoughts are turned toward Lent. In just a week and a half we will be entering into a time of repentance, prayer, abstinence, and almsgiving (giving to the poor and needy). Around this time of year I take a little bit of extr a time with God as I ask Him to speak to me concerning the things in my life that I could abstain from for a time. Over the past week, God has been speaking a certain biblical passage to me:
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7.21-25a
How many times do we admit our own wretchedness? Not in a self-condemning kind of way, but a recognition of our dirty rags type of righteousness in comparison to the magnificence of God. Even as I delight in God's law, I am aware that evil is right there with me, trying to derail my devotion. However, at the end of the day, no matter how difficult the struggle, I rejoice because I can give thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord for my deliverance!
My challenge to you this week is to consider the passage above. The law of sin is always at war with the law of God's law. How often do you delight in God's law?
Tune in next week to hear about the spiritual lesson found in a snowball fight!