My daily journaling from God’s Word, SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. Today’s journal comes from reading Romans 6.

Scripture

“For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” –Romans 6:19

Observation

Both sin and righteousness are processes. As I choose to DO something good or bad, it affects my future choices as well.

Many people give themselves to sin. They spend money on sin, stay up late to sin, wear themselves out to sin, make plans to sin, etc. We believers should give ourselves to righteousness in the same way.

Application

As an unbeliever, I didn’t “give myself to sin,” but I did have my idols: particularly sports. I was dedicated to getting better and winning. This was my passion, and it filled my mind and heart. I had specific areas to focus on and improve through practice. HAVE THIS SAME DILIGENCE TO PRACTICE LOVE, FAITH, SERVING, EVANGELISM, etc.

Prayer

Father, You have made us humans to be creatures of habit. I can have habits of my body that make it easy to sin and habits that make it easy to live righteously. In Christ, You have freed me from the power of sin; now it is my responsibility to give myself–the members of my body–to You as instruments of righteousness. And I do offer myself to You!

I pray I will be habitually righteous! I pray that I will never give any part of myself over to sin, impurity or lawlessness.

In the same way I dedicated myself to basketball, I give myself to You to become the best disciple of Christ I can possibly be. O Holy Spirit, coach me in holiness. Help me to see where I am not like Jesus and lead me into the path of greater Christ-likeness. Thank you that You have been doing that all these years and will continue “coaching” me until the very end!

For Your glory! Amen.