Wretched Man!

…but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Romans 7:14 – 24

I feel the smirks like arrows cutting into me,
The fingers pointed, ridicule dripping like perspiration off them.
“So” they say, “You think you’re all that, don’t you?”
I look up, into their eyes glazing over with revulsion
People I loved, people I thought loved me,
They were all there.

“Bastard”, I heard one of ‘em say,
Still others chose the worst from their expletive directory
“You’re nothing! You never were and you’ll never be!”
The saliva on my face feels moist,
As one without words, takes a potshot at me.

Then one kicks my back, as if I am a worthless beast
I sprawl onto the ground,
Their laughter ringing synchronously akin to the comedy shows with the cheap jokes
I don’t say a word, as I try to get back to my feet
The pats on the back are now stinging my face as slaps
Their loathing is tangible

And then He touches my shoulder,
He says to me “Friend, I’ve already been there for you.”
“There’s nothing left for you now, nothing.”
And my eyes well over with crystalline drops
As I clutch His arm, I clutch His arm
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” I tell Him,
“I love you for wearing the thorns on your brow…
Tis Thou who art worthy, Lord Jesus tis Thou.”

PS:
Mark 6:1-6 (The Message Bible)
On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "He's just a carpenter - Mary's boy. We've known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?" They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.

For all who were a little offended at the word “Bastard” in the write-up: It was obvious that stories got around about Mary being pregnant while she was merely engaged to Joseph. No wonder they called Him, “Mary’s boy”. Jesus went through an entire life of ridicule and shame for us, you and me (Isaiah 53:3). However, He never wavered from the course He was on.

Not only did He die for us, He lived for us. Oh! Isn’t that humbling?