The Struggle

OK - 2 in one day. A little indulgent don't you think. Maybe you're right; but I just had to share this, too. It's another song. See, I'm trying to be a little more open to "Religious Rock/Pop" music. So, there's this song by Run Kid Run called "Freedom." Here is a portion of the lyrics: "All my chains I can't disengage and I don't believe that I want to. One hand sings your praise, the other brings me shame. I have selfishness to blame" Isn't that the Christian life almost in a nutshell?! It reminds me so much of what Paul says in Romans 7: "I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate...And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway" (Rom 7:15-19). That is such a potent passage. You know why? Because that's the apostle PAUL writing that. HE struggles. And if Paul can admit that the Christian life is tough, surely I can!
"Freedom" also includes an answer to this dilemma: "I scream, ' Father, please I need rescuing. I need You and You alone.'" What a coincidence - Paul provides the same solution: "Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 7:24-25).