our little "friend"

Have you ever read Romans chapter 7: 7-25?

It will start messing with you around verse 14. I’ve often heard people express their frustration at trying to follow it at first. It’s not a fast read. Matter of fact, you’ll wonder if Paul didn’t have his trolley off the track a little if it’s a first time read for you. If you aren’t paying attention it can come across as nonsensical as, “So if you know that I know that I know that you know I know then I know that you know that I know.” And I pity those who feel they can’t depart from the KJV on top of that!

Well anyway, I’ll let you go look it up and, please, try several literal and paraphrased translations to really get the feel of what Paul was talking about. (By the way, a great place to go get multiple translations on line is http://www.biblegateway.com/)

What struck me today was verse 21 The NIV says:
7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

Eugene Peterson in The Message” paraphrase’ it this way:
21 It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up.

Well isn’t that thrilling,? We’ve got this little “friend” that is there not to look out for us! (I'm reminded of the little critter Gollum in the of Lord of The Rings trilogy) Nothing new I might add. He’s been around for a long time. I’m pretty sure he was wearing a Halloween costume dressed up like a serpent when Adam and Eve got into some unpleasantness that cost us all big time. And verse 21 also reminds me of a conversation God had with Cain shortly after “the fall” (Yo, kid: we’re not talking about winter here).

God said ( Genesis 4:6-7)
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Ya see, our little buddy sin has always been there like a loyal faithful companion. And he’ll try his best to persuade you he is too. But oh how untrue!

If you are kind of new on your faith walk you might have the perception that he’ll go away someday. I think what Paul is trying to tell us is that he never goes away but we can keep him off “our ranch” and outside its walls if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and His words of truth for us. Please notice I said we. Pastors aren’t exempt from this perplexity. Paul wasn’t exempt, why should we be any different? There is a battle going on every day within all of us, but the good news is found in verse 7:24- 8:1.

Christ is the “bouncer” who keeps that little pest at bay. He’s our “spiritual” body guard 24/7. What we all need to do is not let that little pest, sin, get our attention. Again as a couple of days ago, our eyes need to be trained on Jesus.

A counselor friend of mine recommended I see a movie called “A Beautiful Mind.” It was about a college professor who was schizophrenic and was forever plagued by his uninvited “friends” who always appeared and spoke to him, tempting him to follow the wrong path, feeding him lies, and keeping his perception of self rather poor.

I’ve not seen the movie all the way through but by then end of the movie, he has progressed enough to have some victory in his life. The “friends” still try to visit with him but he has learned to keep them at a distance, far enough away he can’t hear them and remembers to not give them the attention they want even though he knows they are off in his peripheral view.

Isn’t sin kind of like that with us? Got to put up with the annoyance in this life, but with Jesus' help we can keep our little friends at bay. But there is even "gooder" news: this little annoying friend or friends of ours will never be able to come where we are going!! Thank You Jesus!!!!!

Lord, thank you that we don’t have to be perfect to be accepted by you.
Thank you that we can be victorious over evil as we keep our face turned towards you.
Thank you that you give us the ever increasing strength to stay reliant upon you!
Thank you for accomplishing the ultimate eternal victory over sin just for us!

Stay close to Jesus!
REG