Monday Devotion July 15, 2024

 Monday: REMOVE                                  

Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

    and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

    and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

    and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Read:    Remove is a fitting word for today as today is DEMO day. It’s time to remove what is not working in this house and create a new and right spirit in this place. Not only are we working to remove that which is broken in the home, Psalm 51 reminds us we as followers of God are also called to assess and remove things in our life that do not serve us or God. 

Psalm 51 is a text we often read on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lent is that season in the church when we remember our need for a Savior. The reminder that we are not doing life all on our own, but we are dependent on God and one another. Psalm 51 was written by David after he royally screwed up. It was bad. David knew he needed to remove what was not working in his life. David knew this because his good and trusted friend Nathan showed him his sin. David needed to remove his sin. David also knew that he, himself, could not do that. David needed God to remove it. And God did. Let’s have a holy Lenten moment today as we remove items from this home. A moment to ponder our need for a Savior. What are some things you want to remove from your life? What are some needs of your spirit you are hoping God and Holy Spirit can remove and reclaim in your heart? (pause, take a holy spirit deep breath) Ok, don’t get stuck in the bad, the list of to be removed…remember God’s love for each of us. Remember David? David was called a man after God’s own heart. After all his mistakes. No one is beyond God’s love, grace and mercy. God will remove it. God already did. 

Check-in or Challenge: Leaders, please in the midst of your to-do list take a moment, even the briefest moment, to check in with your people. Learn their names. Learn something fun about them. Learn a task, job or something on the site that they want to tackle or accomplish. Maybe something brave or something that would require persistence when they don’t want to. Hear those things and help them this week to accomplish it. Remember, the work is important, but the people are more important. You know this. Lord, bless our site leaders with heart after yours! Amen. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to love you, to love one another, and love our neighbors. Remix our hearts to be more aligned with you. Remove, renew, rebuild, rehydrate our souls and reclaim us through your Holy Spirit. May our work, words and action honor you today. Amen.