Thoughts for another day

October 30, 2006

Today's verse: Ro. 7:22-23. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (KJV)

Each morning as I write, it troubles me; am I worthy to write these praise thoughts? Many are the times I’ve taken this issue before the Lord and He has said to me, ‘Tell Me, who is not a sinner, and I do my work through them, for in Me all are righteous.’ Of course, the Lord is kind and gracious, but I know it hurts Him and the thought therefore remains: Am I worthy; do I live up to His expectations?

My beloved in Christ, we are to be perfect before the Father. It is but fitting that we are, because He is perfect. Yet what is the reality? For those who do not know God or have nothing to do with His ways, the situation is not of consequence. But for us who know Him and are finding our feet within His courts, it is a matter of great importance.

The moment we’re born again, the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our sinful nature. We see the wretchedness within. Try as I might, I still find it difficult to please God by not sinning. It is an intense struggle. Particularly when we have sinned and then we go and sit before the Lord in prayer, guilt overwhelms us and before the ‘Holy One’ we feel dirty. Many times, I cry like some of you do, ‘Lord, what do I do. How can I stop offending You?’ Really it eats me to know that I, a mere human, here today gone tomorrow, can dare to offend the Almighty, the Eternal One. But, the sad thing is, even after this, I go and commit sin. In truth I can echo Paul’s words, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?’ My friend, I have even prayed, ‘Lord if I cannot stop offending You, then take me away, for it is better I die and am with You than here and continuously offending You!’ But I know there is a task cut out for me and it is for that I need to live. That could be true in your case too.

Yes my beloved, sin is deep inside of us. Yet, we need to struggle and face it. For those of you who have tears in your eyes before Jesus Christ because you offend Him, I have Good News. He will lift you up. He will draw you close and He will deliver you. And yes, don’t forget His promise, ‘Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it (1 Thess. 5:24), which is sanctify you and keep you blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.