I have been trying to memorize Romans 8…the whole chapter. It began when I came across the story of Katherine Wolfe. Because of Katherine’s love for this particular portion of Scripture, her friends and family have started the Romans 8 Movement and are asking folks to memorize Romans 8 in her honor. So…I have been trying.
I have not gotten very far in the way of memorization, but I have read it dozens of times over the previous weeks and I love it more and more each time. I have been focusing on verses 1-11 in an attempt to get as much as possible out of it. I don’t want to memorize just to be able to say I did it. I want the truths to be buried in my heart and for them to mean something. For the past 3-4 days I have been focusing on Romans 8:5-6.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
It is so hard not to be focused on the things of the flesh…those things that seem to affect me daily. Yet, really, if you read and take in this portion of Scripture, it is absurd the things I worry about…the things I spend so much energy trying to control.
I have the Holy Spirit living in me, the awesome power of the living God at my fingertips…He who raised Christ from the dead, through His Spirit, dwells in me (Romans 8:11.) Yet, so often, I choose to forego that power and live in the fleshly realm.
The question the Lord keeps putting before me this week is “What am I setting my mind on? Things of the flesh or things of the Spirit?” I can attempt to justify it, but I know that I have been dwelling on things of the flesh. I have been kind of down this week thinking that something I thought would happen may not happen…and have really lost sight of the fact that God is the same this week as he was last week when I was on the mountain. I am kind of embarrassed by how quickly I became discouraged.
God is still good today. He who did not even spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for me, how shall He not also freely give me all things? (Romans 8:32) God still wants to bless me today. But, he wants me to trust Him…trust that He knows how to bless me. He does the blessing. I just need to set my mind on the things of the Spirit. I don’t know exactly what that means for me right now…but I do know that I probably should take the focus off of myself for awhile and let God bless as He sees fit.
I started reading “Jesus, the One and Only” by Beth Moore last night and thought of you. The very first chapter talks about the prayer of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and his visit from Gabriel. She mentions that Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying for a specific request, in their case, a child, for a long time. She says:
“Have you almost given up on God answering an earnest, long-term prayer of your heart? Not becoming hopeless over a repetitious request can be terribly challenging. God never missed a single petition from the children of Israel to send their Messiah; nor did He miss a solitary plea from the aching hearts of a childless couple. God does not have some limited supply of power, requiring that we carefully select a few choice things to pray about. God’s power is infinite. God’s grace and mercy are drawn deeply from the bottomless well of His heart. . . .
Do you have a long-standing prayer concern? If you have received a definitive no from God, pray to accept it and trust that He knows what He’s doing. If you haven’t, don’t grow weary or mechanical. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, continue to walk faithfully with God even though you are disappointed. Walking with God in the day-in/day-out course of life swells your assurance that God is faithful and enjoyable even when a request goes unmet. Recognizing all the other works God is doing in your life will prevent discouragement as you await your answer. Zechariah waited a long time for God’s answer, but when it came, it exceeded everything the priest could have thought or asked.”
Just wanted to share. 🙂
Thank you, my friend.