Create in me a clean heart...

This is the Lord’s Day; well everyday is the Lord’s Day. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. We shall rejoice because He has bestowed many blessing upon us. Today, in Alamosa, the youth arrive. This is a wonderful day because all the hard work and pray that has gone into preparing for this summer will start to shape today through the end of the summer. There is just something about having the participants show up. It is putting something we have prayed for, practiced and prepared for into fruition. The team is ready to jump in and make this experience for the participants one to remember. They may be painting houses, sorting through a thrift store, or working with the local kids in a VBS style activity.. They will fellowshipping, they will be playing games, they will be eating, they will be worshipping at club time, and they will be sleeping. No matter what the activity they will be serving at Christ will be right there with them. The hope and pray is that Christ will be evident to them as they travel down the road, as the serve the community, as they get to know others, as they worship Him.

Today’s devotion has to do with just that. Mark 4:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." The disciples were scared because a great windstorm had come up while they were heading to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They did not know what to do so they decided to wake Jesus who was sleeping peacefully at the bow of the boat. Jesus wakes up and rebukes the wind and calms the sea. Then he gently rebukes the disciples, “Why are you so afraid, you of little faith” Don’t you know that I am with you always. That is good news, Christ is with us wherever we may go. He wants to bless us, he wants to make the rough waters in our paths smooth, he wants to calm the wind of bitterness, of frustration, of disappointment, of sin in our life. He wants to take all that away so that we are able to come and worship Him with a pure and clean heart. I’m reminded of the song,

“Create in me a clean heart”

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from the presence O Lord
And take not thou Holy Spirit from me
Restore on to me the joy of life's salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from the presence O Lord
And take not thou Holy Spirit from me
Restore on to me the joy of life's salvation
And renew a right spirit within me
And renew a right spirit within me

Christ wants to walk through life with you and with me to know the Father even better today than we knew Him yesterday. Christ is right here beside each of us encouraging us, helping us, and lifting us up toward the Father.