On Romans 7 - Being a Slave

"How many times have I fed on ashes instead of feasting on the Word? How many times has my deluded heart misled me?"- Beth Moore

I read this today from Praying God's Word Day by Day, and it really struck a chord with me. Beth Moore then goes on to a prayer based on Romans 7:15 - 21.

"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do - this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When 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 the members of my body, waging war against the law of my ming and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." (Romans 7:15 - 25)

Wow! I always have to read this passage very slowly. It is so confusing! I guess it comes down to the fact that there is a battle being fought in the heavenly realms, and I have to choose who I will be a slave to - God's law or the law of sin. It is a constant struggle for me. I know what I want to do - to follow God's law and be what He wants me to be. It is so difficult sometimes to do that, though. It is so much easier to just be lazy and not spend time in the Word or in prayer. But then I am being a slave to sin.

Paul sums it up so well: "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (v. 15) If Paul struggled with this, what chance do I have?!

Fortunately, Romans 8 goes on: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (vv. 1 - 2) Hallelujah! Even though there is a battle waging within me and around me, I am set free from the law of sin. I don't have to be a slave to it and I am not condemned. God has given the Spirit of life to give us victory over sin. I just need to allow Him to work through me and stop being lazy!