Grant us the Spirit

Grant us, O Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who can do no good thing apart from you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

THINK and DO always those things that are right. 

Sometimes I can think about things that are right, but then I get really tripped up trying to do them. For example, I planned to be an incredibly patient and attentive parent. If anything, I'm less patient now.

Alternatively, I can do the right thing but I'm sure not thinking the right way while doing it. Begrudging obedience is a specialty of mine--one that I seem to have passed along to my children as well!

And of course, more often than not, I can easily think the wrong things and do the wrong things. It's why I'm grateful today for a prompted prayer that has me asking the Spirit to do this work in me. I can not do it on my own is a lesson I continually learn and just as continually forget.

Really what this prayer does is push my mind back to the classic struggle of Paul-- and all of us-- in Romans 7:15-20

15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Even in the way Paul writes this passage you can feel the struggle of his own thoughts and words, at war in his mind. Which is why it is so beautiful what he writes next. Romans 7:24-25.

24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Thanks be to God indeed. Our rescuer. The one who asks and enables!