.png)
By: Vera Grimmius
You may listen to this devotion in audio form via podcast here.
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
How easy is it to find fault? I confess I can easily see trouble in various people and places. But today I’d like to confess a weakness I’ve fallen trap to more than a few times in the last decade. You see, as most of you know, I’ve lost three husbands to cancer. Many of you have prayed, loved, and encouraged me, and helped in numerous ways. I, on the other hand, have been my own worst enemy. You see I have asked myself, “is it something I’ve done?” to lose three husbands in rather short succession! Even when I knew better, I could be hard on myself for many reasons.
Condemnation – how do you rate? Right up there with me, being self-condemning, or worse yet condemning others? I’m certain that’s why Paul wrote Romans 7 and 8. He struggled often with past mistakes, and he may have thought some of what he suffered he deserved since he was the worst of sinners (I Timothy 1:15). Then in Romans 8 it’s like a light comes on, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! How does this happen? Romans 8 goes on to tell us through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life sets us free from the law of sin and death.
I see it this way. I can continue blaming myself and others for things I don’t like or don’t fully understand, or I can choose freedom from sin and death.
Pastor Matt reminded us of this amazing hope a few weeks ago in his sermon on the Samaritan woman who didn’t realize living water was available to her. She was self-condemning and made several excuses for her thoughts. Then a light comes on as Jesus gives her hope and living water. She couldn’t help but believe and accept and share with others.
We need to ask God today to open our eyes in every area of life we might feel unworthy or self-condemned, and claim Jesus’ freedom from sin and death. Pastor Joel encouraged us to walk through the red door. The only door is Jesus and His shed blood for us. This Sunday we realized what a need we have to trust our Good Shepherd because we are such wayward and needy sheep. (John 10)
Psalm 37:39-40 is good encouragement in this thinking.
The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.