Remember when you first learned to ride a bike? You kept falling off – until you finally “got the hang of it” – and then, off you went! If only our lives of following the Lord would be that simple. Get the hang of it and off you go! But, the flesh and the spirit go to battle every day and it’s like a heavy weight fight in the ring. “In this corner…”
Why do we consistently fall into the same traps: judging others, refusing to help someone because “this is a bad time” (ie, it’s not convenient), using prayer requests as a gossip corner, etc.???
If we’re consistent in anything, it’s that we’re consistent in nothing (or, certainly many things).
The Apostle Paul nailed it in Romans 7.
“For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate…Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of death?”
Is there any hope for us?
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ the Lord!” (Romans 7:15; 24-25).
Is there anything we can actually do about this malady? This internal war? Pray. Start each day fresh and do our best to follow His example which is shown in the Gospels. Then, in spite of our own inconsistency, we can rest in His consistency, knowing His love never fails, He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
“Though we are faithless, He remains faithful.” (2 Timothy 2:13)
Only one hope, God’s grace and Christ’s great sacrifice.
That’s it … His grace and sacrifice! We are otherwise hopeless. May our hopelessness drive us into His presence and promise!
Our only hope…..
Thank You Lord!
Amen!! Thank you for encouraging me with the truth and God’s word.
Thanks for the reminder! I just read that we are commanded to “remember” more frequently than to “obey,” “do,” “not do,” “go,” or even “pray.” Remember. Because in the long journey of the spiritual life, we tend to forget and, even more so as each year passes.
Thankfully there is hope for us even when we’re a mess! There is light at the end!
Hope. Faith and strength.
In this corner… We have our Lord always on our side. AMEN!!! Thank you 🙂