Paul was like me

Day 218

OT Reading: Psalms 78

NT Reading: Romans 7

Paul was just like me.

I forget that sometimes. Or perhaps a better way to say it; I lose sight of that sometimes. I mean Paul wrote many books of the New Testament. He went on three (or four depending on who's counting) incredible missionary journeys. Paul was integral in the expansion of the early church into Asia and Europe. And when I see his resume and all that he accomplished for God, it's easy to set him apart as a 'super Christian.'

And yet whenever I read, or come across Romans seven, I'm glad to see that Paul was no different than me. He knew the things he wanted to do, but often failed to do them. And the good things he did not want to do, he ended up doing over and over again. And as Paul offers this confessional element to his letter, I see its high point coming in verse 25 where Paul says, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (NIV)

I can relate to that. I can look over my life and see my continued mess-ups. I can see how over and over again I have had to come to God and say, "I messed up...again." In other words, I'm exactly like Paul.

So if you haven't, you may want to underline, bookmark or even frame this passage. Because for me, it helps me be reminded that from Adam to Paul, from Abraham to Peter and everyone in between...Jesus was the only perfect one. The rest of us are all alike.