Let me say, I love the readings this week! Two of my favorite sections of scripture were part of our readings this week, plus one of my favorite Psalms – Romans 6, Matthew 5-7, and Psalm 8. I hope you enjoyed the readings as well and continue to find passages each week which encourage you in your faith and deepen your understanding of Christ. I will be the first to admit that not all of the readings are easy or glamorous and some days are easier than other days, but keep with it and you will be rewarded. 3 weeks down – 49 to go!

I want to highlight the Romans 6 reading this week, because I feel it is one of the most significant passages for understanding the Christian faith. If we look honestly at our lives, we can see how sin has a grip on us that very well fits the imagery of slavery Paul uses. The selfish desires that we think will bring us joy only bind us further to a life of unhappiness. If we live for ourselves alone, we discover that is a lonely existence. And that is the ultimate end of sin – a lonely, unhappy life where we can have anything we want but nothing will satisfy us. I saw a skit once where a man had died and went to a place where he could have anything he desired. If he wanted something to eat it was there. If he wanted to watch something on TV, there it was. But he was all alone. He had everything in the world, but no one to share it with. So he asked the attendant if he could transfer to “down there.” “Oh, but you don’t understand,” the attendant replied, “you are ‘down there.’” Sin entraps us and we become slaves to our own desires. But there is freedom, and that freedom comes through Christ. He sets us free from our bondage to sin. “Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.” – Romans 6:18. Our freedom comes in Christ and we are free, but that freedom is only realized when we relinquish our desires and seek after the desires of Christ. Our freedom comes in choosing to be a servant of Christ.

“Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.” – Romans 6:16

Choose wisely.