by Christina Poss

Romans 7:12–25

So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

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.

Darkness covers the earth

like an ominous cloud

before a storm.

Humanity is proud

before our Maker

though our knees should be bowed.

Gray charcoal pain,

black tainted skies,

all of us are in chains

to sin, hell, and death.

All our striving is in vain,

we are but a mist, a mere breath.

We cannot rescue anything,

not ourselves or the world

from its enslaved state.

The world is crooked, not straight.

All our plans God seems to frustrate.

Like helpless babies we sit and wait

for a renewed creation,

our true destiny and fate.

Just as the sin curse is complete

so His redemptive work will be concrete.

He didn’t save us for an earth replacement,

He will reform what once was sweet,

a restored Earth will be His final feat.

Come, sweet Jesus!

Come soon indeed.

The world groans and bleeds

for You to set things right again,

for You to make things new and reign,

for all suffering to end its strain,

for our souls to sigh in joyful amen.

There is an end to earth’s melodic mundane,

and Jesus surely will sustain,

for every broken heart and song,

He’ll bring us glory and right every wrong.

Do you ever have those days when you cannot shake the shackles of sin nor muster up a desire for God? Paul the apostle had days like that. Isn't that reassuring? This is the walk of the Christian: the war between our sinful flesh and the Spirit that lives within us. "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Rom. 7:15) We are "sold under sin" (vs. 14) and we live in an in-between state between the already (Jesus' death and resurrection) and the not-yet (eternity on the new heaven and new earth).

Paul admits that he cannot be completely cured of his sinful habits here and now. So where is the hope? For what purpose was Jesus' death and resurrection if Christians still struggle with sin? As long as we breathe on this present earth we fight against Satan, the world, and our flesh. But "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (vs. 25) for we "serve the law of God with [our] mind, but with [our] flesh [we] serve the law of sin" (vs. 25). Do you see the power of Jesus' sacrifice? We are no longer slaves to sin! It does not rule our minds. We have power through the Spirit to think on things above (Colossians 3:1-4). We can rest in the forgiveness of our past sins, live presently in Jesus' grace, and look forward to the day when all sin and fleshly struggles are forever obliterated. Jesus is our living hope, now and for all eternity.

Christina is a poet and essayist who recently self-published her first book, "A Haiku a Day Keeps the Winter Away." Her "real job" is working as a Product Owner at a financial services company. Christina lives in Des Moines, Iowa where she co-authors a blog, The Poss Post, with her husband, Matthew.

Lent Day 24