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Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:24-25a (ESV)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

At seven years old, on the way home from church, Matt sat in the back seat of the car and proudly announced to his parents that he wasn’t going to sin anymore. Both of his parents chuckled, and his dad told him that he hoped he was right.

Matt’s promise was short-lived. After arriving home, he didn’t like what his mom made for lunch and complained about it. Shortly after lunch, he and his brother had to go to timeout for fighting over Legos. Then before bed, he got in trouble again for sneaking cookies after he brushed his teeth.

Matt really did mean it when he told his parents he wasn’t going to sin anymore. But by the end of the day, he had already broken his promise several times!

Have you ever told yourself that you weren’t going to sin anymore only to find yourself still doing wrong things? Maybe you promised not to argue with your brother or sister. Maybe you said you would stop complaining or always obey your parents right away. But sometimes we still do the wrong thing, even when we don’t want to.

That happened to the apostle Paul too. He loved God and wanted to do what was right. But he still struggled with sin. That is why he cried out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

Notice what Paul does not ask. He doesn’t ask, “How can I try harder?” or “What rules can I follow to fix myself?” He asks, “Who will rescue me?” Paul knew he needed more than self-control. He needed a Savior. A deliverer.

And then Paul gives the answer: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25).

Your peace with God does not depend on you finally getting it right. It depends entirely on Jesus who already got it right for you. The harder you try to save yourself, the more tired you become. The more you trust Jesus, the more rest you find.

Jesus does what we can’t. True rest begins when you reach the end of yourself and find Christ waiting there. So, rest in Jesus!

Lord Jesus, we confess that the good we want to do, we so often fail to do. Forgive us for trying to rely on our own strength. Thank you, that getting to heaven doesn’t depend on what we do for you, but on what you have already done for us. Give us true peace, knowing that we are safe in your loving hands. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

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