Romans 7:24

"O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

I get so exasperated by my sinfulness that I sometimes want to scream out like Paul does here. And to imagine that my frustration is probably only a fraction of the Apostle's. I cannot fathom what he must have felt in light of the great love he had for Jesus.

Two things jump out at me here. One, Paul says he's wretched. Paul! Am I? (Yes!) Do I recognize my wretchedness? Rarely. What makes me wretched? The body of sin that I can never fully shake free of. But rather than despair from hopelessness, I should rejoice in hopefulness. But the rejoicing follows the recognition. I thank God that I'm even remotely aware of my sin. May I be more aware today.

Second, Paul needs deliverance, he needs rescuing. Deliverance and rescuing from what? His body of death (sin). Thankfully Paul doesn't stop here with an unanswerable question, but closes with the solution in the next verse, THROUGH Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 7:25). Jesus, my deliverer, Jesus my rescuer. And just as I've died in Christ, so shall I be resurrected in Christ.

Today is a new day of hope for me. And o' how I need hope.