Never An Option

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Romans 8:5-11 NLT

Every day, we're presented with choices. Some are easy. Some are not. Some have subtleties that we might miss if we don't think it through, guided by the Holy Spirit. Some seem absolutely overwhelming in our flesh! When I read this passage of Scripture, I get a sense of someone volleying their options back and forth, even making a list. Do I? Don't I? Will I? Won't I? But the Truth of the matter is if we're led by the Spirit of Christ, the choice is clear.

I remember as a child, plucking daisies - he loves me, he loves me not. I had the worst luck... I never won. When I got old enough to realize I could manipulate the game, I won every time... and I do SO like to win. Ever been there? How much do we still try to manipulate to win? Oh, that's an ugly thought, isn't it? Yeah, I didn't like it, either...

Which do you love more - Spirit or flesh? That's what it boils down to. Who do we love the most? God or ourselves? What we ultimately choose clearly defines what/who is most important to us. Will we overcome or succumb?

If we continue in our passage for today, we read, Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.

We're always going to have temptations and urges. Paul Overstreet - a country songwriter who is also a Christian - always tries to put that perspective in his song lyrics. One of his older songs talked about a man who was so tempted to cheat. On one hand, he tries to come up with all the excuses he can to try to justify what he's tempted to do, but on the other hand, there's a wedding band to remind him why he can't, and he goes back and forth.

How does that apply to our lives as followers of Christ? It's very simple... On one hand, there's a scar where the nail pierced the Lover of our soul to the Cross. On the other hand, is an identical scar because Jesus loved us enough to die in our place for the sins we've committed.

He loves us NOT was never an option for Him. Should it be for us?

Prayer:

Father,
            Illuminate our lives with this Truth - every step, every choice, every day. Let us carry in the forefront the choice of love Christ made and be led by Your Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen