"Delight in the Law... in My Inmost Self."

May we receive the grace of hope.  May we live that hope in our actions.  May we become hope for others, following Jesus, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.


Romans 7:21-25
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. ²²For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, ²³but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.


1) "...When I do what is good, evil lies close at hand;" "...inmost self;" "...in my members;" "...captive to the law of sin;" "...Wretched man that I am;" "...Who will rescue me from this body of death?" "...slave to the law."


2) Wretched people that we are.  Who will rescue us from this body of death?  What is the difference between acceptance of what is, surrender, letting go, defeat, capitulation, giving up, and abdicating responsibility?  I want to be accountable for my actions.  This talk about being a "slave to the law of sin" makes it sound like I'm denying responsibility.  But there are thins over which I genuinely have no control.  I think it's Bonhoeffer who points out the difference between Faust declaring, "In the end I can nothing know," and a first year college student saying, "Well, I can't know anything anyway, so why study?"  And there is a difference between surrendering to the will and grace of God after we've sought hard to deny sin, and throwing our arms in the air and saying, "Have a good time now because we are all going to hell anyway."  But when is which?  So... this is why Paul calls us out for judging one another.  Who but Christ has the moral high ground, if indeed, there is moral high ground to be had?


3)  What is the invitation in all this?  To keep seeking to follow Christ.  Maybe to let more time in before making a decision, more time for Christ to make the way forward clear.


"Holy One, I do want in my inmost self to serve you."


Breathprayer: "Delight in the law... in my inmost self."