A mile of electric fence surrounds our pastures. Touching the charged wire discharges a harrowing shock wave through your fingers, up your arm, through your elbow, and all the way to your shoulder. An unpleasant jolt with lingering discomfort.
Whenever anyone visits the farm, we caution, “Don’t touch the electric fence.” And you guessed it—inevitably and almost immediately, they desperately want to touch the fence. Often, they do. No one who ever touches the fence says, “Oh, that wasn’t that bad.” It’s always worse than they imagined.
This is how sin works. It seizes every opportunity to produce evil inside of us. As soon as we’re commanded, “Don’t do that,” this is the very thing we earnestly desire to do. Then, after having succumbed to the temptation, the guilt and consequence bring pain and shame. Paul argues this exact point, exclaiming, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15).
Paul is not alone in his dilemma, right? You and I have undoubtedly wrestled with that tension too. In our hearts, we love God’s law and desire to please the Lord, but evil always lies close at hand. We can say with Paul - What I want to do, I don’t do. What I don’t want to do, this I keep on doing!
At the end of his inner conflict, exasperated, Paul concedes:
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24
I love this! There is hope here! Amidst the sin war that will forever rage this side of eternity, Paul throws up his arms in surrender. He casts himself on the mercy of God. He reminds his soul:
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:25
And one verse later:
There is therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1
In the fight against sin, Paul arms himself with surrender. He falls on the mercy of God. He doesn’t look inside his own heart for more strength or greater willpower. Instead, he banks his hope for transformation on the grace of God.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Sister, as you battle the sin that plagues your heart, remember freedom is birthed in surrender. Plunge yourself into the mercy of God. His grace never fails. For those who belong to Him, He has no wrath left—He poured it all out on His perfect Son. So, don’t despair in your battle with sin. But, run to Jesus, who loves to forgive you more than you long to be forgiven. Run to the One who longs to pour out His Spirit and free you from slavery even more than you desire to be free.
What good news for struggling sinners like you and me!
PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your mercy that never fails. Thank You that the sacrifice of Your Son, on my behalf, has forever satisfied Your wrath. Help me to be quick to repent and run to You. Remind my struggling heart that Your mercy never fails.
Adapted from Judie Puckett, Grace Enjoyed: Delighting in Our God in the Ordinary Moments of Life (Storied Publishing, 2023).