Thursday, July 4, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
Romans 8:1–11

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law — indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (NRSV)

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Reflection

Paul describes the work of Christ as setting us free. But freedom is a long way from getting to do whatever it is you may want to do. Freedom is not the carefree pursuit of one’s bliss. Over and over Paul speaks of “setting our minds.” As much as anyone, Paul has taught me that Christian faith is something we choose. Paul knows himself well enough to know that he chooses to live his faith in an inconsistent manner. Don’t we all!

Our choosing to live our faith matters to God. But our faithfulness is a response to the God who has already chosen — and is always choosing — us. This made sense to me in a new way when I became a parent. I knew there was nothing my kids could do that would cause me to stop being their father. That was a given, not because of anything in their hearts, but because of the love in my heart. At the same time, because I love them, I care deeply about the choices they make.

In similar fashion, God is like a spiritual parent. You belong, and there is nothing you will do to change that. But because the love of all claims you by name, the choices you make matter to God even more than to yourself. So we take Paul’s advice and “set our minds” on the things of the Spirit. In that, we discover what real freedom is.

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Prayer
God of mercy, I remember again today that I am your child. I will do my best to live this day like I belong to you. In Christ’s name. Amen.

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Written by Tom Are Jr., Interim Pastor

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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