Romans 7:15-25a from The Message

I can anticipate the response that is coming: “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.

But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

I spent Thursday and Friday nights at our daughter, Erin’s house. While she worked on Friday, I spent the day hanging out with her two cats, Claudia and Myka.

In the early afternoon, Claudia decided she needed attention. And most of us know that animals often express their desire for attention by being a little naughty. She decided it was time to push some items onto the floor.

I had learned the night before that this was one of the ways she let Erin know that she wanted to chase the laser pointer light, so I indulged her for a few minutes before going back to writing my sermon.