Create in Me a Clean Heart

King David was a man after God's own heart. He was set aside and highly favored. After all, who wouldn't be favored as a descendant of our Savior, Jesus Christ? But David was not just a brave shepherd boy with a rock and a sling. He wasn't just a mighty King, victory in battle. No, he was also a dirty, rotten, scoundrel to put it lightly. He lusted after Bathsheba, plotted against her husband to get him killed on the battlefield, and of course committed adultery with this beautiful woman. No, King David was no saint. But what set apart David from other dirty, rotten, scoundrels, was his heart. He deeply lamented over his sin and turned to His Father for forgiveness. He pours out his heart in the Psalms.

Psalm 51:10-12

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away

from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy

salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit."

Here we see a man, drenched in sin, aching over his sin, suddenly, and completely covered and washed clean by grace. Only a Good God can do that. Now David still had to suffer the consequences of his actions, with the loss of his infant son. But through his repentance, God took something meant for evil and turned it for good, and eventually, blessed David with another son, Solomon, who would become most famous for his God-given wisdom.

I pray we all have a heart like David. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.

Create In Me a Clean Heart- by Keith Green-Jen Mozley vocal cover

Oh Yes...He Still Has the Whole World in His Hands

2020 hit like a freight train, powered by a category 5 hurricane. No matter where you were in life at the moment, it either knocked you down completely, or had you running for cover. We forgot what it meant to be united as a country. We let the media stir up hate and destroy our culture. We ignored the concept of "agree to disagree" and replaced it with "do or die." Then, we played the blame game. In case you were wondering, that game has no winners, only losers dressed in circus clothes. So, which act was I? At times I was the tight rope walker balancing my sanity, work, being a wife and mom, and any wildly ambitious personal endeavors. Then when I dropped the ball, I went on to be the clown laughing my way through the chaos. After the laughter faded then came the trapeze artist. I was literally grabbing hold of any hope I had left and swinging to the next "adventure." My perspective was bleak needless to say. I was going through the motions and letting 2020 take me on a ride along in the back seat. Then I was reminded of an old children's song we used to sing in Bible School. "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." As I chewed on the words I began to think "but what about this God?" "It doesn't seem like You do?" These were BIG questions only a BIG God could handle so I wasn't afraid to let them all out. All my doubt, worries, frustrations, and fears all out in the open. And guess what...He was listening! He heard my cry for clarity and sent me the words of this song as a reminder to hold on to faith because there is always a bigger picture that only God can see. I may not understand it but "I gotta believe that He is faithful and He is good!" My God has been faithful to walk me through the storms in my life so far, so why would He stop now?

I think Jesus is in the boat of 2020 and 2021 right along with us. However, the only difference is He is at peace and sleeping! Not one worry on His mind. So if Jesus is on this ride with us...why not lay down beside Him and rest in His PEACE because HE STILL HAS THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS.

Psalm 95:4

In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

Matthew 8:23-27

Jesus Calms the Storm

23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”