ROMANS 7:13-25 – “Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For 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 with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 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. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 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 right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 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. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

THEME OF THE DAY: LIFE IS MESSY, YET GOD IS AT WORK.  As one reads one aspect of the Apostle Paul’s testimony in today’s scripture, we would look at him and with respect and pity say, “Paul, you are fairly messed up.”  But that wouldn’t be a cruel judgment on him because we too are equally messed up.  I mean when he says, “For 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 with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” and “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” do we not want to hug him and show him sympathy.

Life is messy. Real messy.  Our first parents in the Garden of Eden ensured that would be true when they sinned against God.  Disobedience makes life messy. Sin always causes chaos, confusion, and complexity.  We know quite well what Paul means when he said, “I do not understand my own actions.”  Yet, Paul doesn’t end on such a depressing thought.  And neither must we.  God provides the way for messed up people to untangle their messed up lives.  It is the Gospel.

The great news to all of us messed up people are the very words the Apostle Paul wrote – “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”  

 Yes, life is messy, but God works through our messiness starting with salvation all the way to glorification!  Like Paul, we proclaim, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

PRAYER: Father, I praise You that You do work all things for my good, even the messiness of my life.

REFLECTION:  Just because God works all things for good, even our sin, that isn’t a license to sin.