It was so nice having a buffer break day! Thank You, Father, for the wherewithal to get so far on my preparation for Sunday. May our time together here and now be productive as well. Amen.
Romans 5:12-17 (<<click here to read the passage)
Doesn’t pretty much everyone struggle with not living up to the expectations of who we can be? Some of us strive to live up to the expectations of others. Many others find it hard enough to overcome their own expectations. They are driven from deep within, not without. Neither group has it easy. I really don’t know which is worse, to be driven by others or by ourselves. And when I think of “driven”, I think of someone driving a horse as hard as they can, to the point where the poor creature is driven to death.
Often the goals before us are attainable with hard practice, dedication, and hard work. But there are times when no amount of effort on our part can accomplish the end result we desire.
A friend of mine has a child who loves basketball. They have worked and worked to be able to play on a team, but despite all of their efforts and hours of practice, they just don’t have what it takes to play at the level they want to play. They still participate, but unfortunately, it is less of an experience than their heart desires.
This is a challenge to write because of the fine balance in the whole thing. Some simply don’t want to accomplish anything but the absolute bare minimum – and they are perfectly content with that. Being a “C” student is fine with them…”Just get me out of here!”
Looking at who we are from a spiritual perspective is a challenge as well. Many in the world are content with who they are. But I would dare say that when we enter a relationship with Christ, for those who pursue that relationship at least, we realize that there is much more! Sin blocks our potential on so many levels. It keeps us bound to the mundane, to the things of this world that are empty and void. Reaching for the things of Christ’s Kingdom opens up a vast realm of possibilities! My Life Application Study Bible states, “Sin is a deep discrepancy between who we are and who we were created to be.”
Creation is of God. It was perfect and whole when God brought it all into being from nothing. And Genesis 1 tells us that God saw that it was good. But we along with the sin that Adam invited into the world have tainted it. We have brought suffering and pain to all of Creation including ourselves…and we are slaves to it. We, of our own strength, cannot break free.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all sinned. v12 AMP

We are who we are…but we all have the ability to become who we were created to be!

Adam is a type of Him (Christ) who was to come [but in reverse—Adam brought destruction, Christ brought salvation]. v14b AMP

Jesus Christ reversed, He undid, what Adam set into motion and that which we continue – every single one of us! – to perpetuate! Some of this world are who they are and they do whatever they want to do. But there are those whose heart’s desire is to follow and be and live like Jesus! That is what we all were created to be!
Lord Jesus, please show us what we can be. May we be set afire with enthusiasm to pursue limitless goals and reach the seemingly unreachable heights of Your glory. Amen and amen!

Nov 28th, 2022, Mon, 7:29 pm