New Start . . . New Heart

Create in me a pure heart O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me! Do not reject me! Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me! Let me again experience the joy of Your deliverance! Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to You. . . . O Lord, give me the words . . .(Psalm 51:10-15)

This morning the Lord took me to one of my favorite and most humbling sections of His Word, Psalm 51. As I am pondering meeting new students and beginning a new year of sharing His Word with middle school students, I am once again humbled and broken. How can God possible use me to teach others His Word . . . His ways? 

It is only by His grace that I am even here today. It is only by His grace that He even thought it acceptable to save my wretched soul. It is only by His grace that He has allowed me to see and experience the things I have in life. But to be in a position to teach others about Him . . . WOW GOD! What a challenge! 

As King David realized, I must plead for His mercy all the day long because of His holiness. I must plead His blood, first over myself, before I can attempt to share with these young people. I must be led by His Spirit, not my ideas and words. 

It is humbling indeed to meet these young people and realize their souls lie in the balance. They have seen and experienced so much at a young age. They have heard Truth and lies and even been told that the Truth changes from day to day. They have felt the pain of abandonment from family and friends and have been hurt and lied to so many times. 

Who am I to change that? Who am I to fix that? 

O God, cleanse me . . . Renew me . . . Use and re-use me. Allow be to be an agent of change to encourage and enlighten these young people. God, please allow them to see and experience You in me so they too will come to know, love, and serve You!