Working for spoiled meat

 This week's verses are Romans 8:5-8:

 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But what does it mean to be "in the flesh?"

The flesh is our body. When we live in the flesh, we are primarily serving our physical earthly body and all that goes with it. We worry about comfort and food and pleasure and safety and our retirement plan and career aspirations. This is the default for people who do not know Jesus. When we are living in the flesh we try to avoid death, but death is the ultimate end to the flesh. This is the default mode of life for people who do not know Jesus.

When we live according to the Spirit, we put godly eternal things first. We are not primarily concerned anymore with death, or discomfort, or boredom, or our career and financial investments. Those things aren't nothing, but they are no longer our primary aim. If we have all of eternity to sort things out, who cares if we have a bad day or if we die early? Things will work themselves out and meanwhile we have time to be generous and caring and work through our brokenness.

When we live according to the flesh we get led around by what our body chemistry wants. Everything we invest in will get old and die and decay. We are prone to stress as we think about our failures and unmet goals and what little time we may have left.

When we live according to the Spirit, we have peace. Our failures go to the cross.  We have all of eternity and Jesus with it. We submit to his law, not to our worldly addictions and appetites and fears.

When we are in the flesh, worrying about the day to day and our individual tomorrows, we can' t please God. Our eyes are not on him. We don't want to choose his way instead of ours. We don't want to listen. Our highest joy is the desire of the moment, not the eternity God offers us.

So, think about your priorities. Are you in the flesh or in the Spirit? If you're not living according to the Spirit, try putting your flesh in second place and letting your outlook be shaped by God. Flesh spoils but God's Holy Spirit has forever rewards.