Good morning…
“Dear Santa,” the sign outside the restaurant reads, “what if we are naughty and nice?” We chuckle because we relate. Then we open our Bible to read about the ‘naughty and nice’ war raging within us.
For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different (Romans 7:18-25, MSG).
After trying everything in our own power to combat our ‘naughty and nice’ nature, we finally admit, “Nothing helps.” Humbled to our knees in the straw of a stable, the baby Jesus is born in our hearts to help. At the end of our self-sufficient rope we gently reach out to embrace our Savior, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NIV).
In compassionate grace, Jesus gently embraces us. Beginning to set things right in our life of daily contradictions, our Helper encourages, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:35, NIV).
“Dear Jesus,” the sign in our heart now reads, “please help me to watch and pray.”
…Sue…
