Who Is There To Rescue Us?

Readings:
Nehemiah 2
Romans 7:15-25

Focus:
Romans 7:21: "I discover this principle, then: that when I want to do right, only wrong is within my reach."
Romans 7:24-25a: "Wretched creature that I am, who is there to rescue me from this state of death? Who but God?"

The situation described by the verses just quoted is so familiar to me. No matter what I resolve, I find, time and again, that I end up doing what I don't want to do. I say something unkind, or I do something selfish, or I fail to do something that I ought to have done, that would have been helpful or responsible.

After each such situation, I feel disappointed in myself and wonder how I can ever succeed in doing good. Like Paul, I say to myself, "Wretched creature that I am! How can I ever change? Who can rescue me from this vicious cycle?"

Thanks be to God that he is able to rescue us from this state of death! Thanks be to him through Jesus christ our Lord!