Romans 8:12-25 (NRSV)
Read Romans 8:12-25 on biblegateway.com
Verse 12So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- Verse 13for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Verse 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Verse 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" Verse 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Verse 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Verse 18I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. Verse 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; Verse 20for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope Verse 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Verse 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; Verse 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Verse 24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? Verse 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Devotion
If Paul had taken the road down to the En Gedi oasis for a little "r and r" rather than taking the road to Damascus, maybe we wouldn’t have these vivid words of daily struggle.
But Paul took the road to Damascus. On the way, he discovered that all his piety, all his learning, all his ethnic pedigree and all his holiness amounted nothing. Jesus Christ was everything. And after making this discovery, rather than getting better every day and in every way, he discovered this: "But I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members." (Romans 7:23)
Because of Jesus, Paul now has a daily struggle with sin instead of clarity, piety, progress and pride. And, he has a God who can place the word "Abba" on his tongue, and fill him and all creation with hope.
Prayer
Merciful Lord, you give us faith that draws us to You as our loving Father and waits in hope for your final destruction of sin, death and the devil. As we await this day and struggle with these adversaries, fill us with Your Spirit that we may do Your will. Reveal our sin and give us hope, in Jesus’ name. Amen.