Volkslauf 2015 - permanent stains

"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18

Saturday, June 20 was the 16th annual Volkslauf USMC 10k Mud Run. It's a race that promises "fun for the entire family" with the proceeds going to support "Fort Leonard Wood Marines' Marine Corps birthday ball celebration which commemorates the birthday of their 'Corps by calling to mind the glories of its long and illustrious history." The fun they promise comes in the form of running 6 miles through mud laden trails and up and down some steep rocky hills. Adding to the fun is the array of people running it, from the young to the old, civilian to military and, of course, those with and without costumes. It's a run full of as much entertainment as there is sludge to run through. Most everyone crossed the finish line with a smile on their face and a lot dirtier than when they began!

In fact, many of the runners clothes were so caked with mud, I'm sure the stains were permanent. Like me, they probably ended up throwing a garment or two away. And just like those mud stains, the stain of sin can be equally permanent... unless we allow God to remove them for us. Psalm 103:12 says that, for those who believe, "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." The bible also says that, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow." Did you know, in Old Testament times, that scarlet was the color of a deep-red permanent dye and virtually impossible to remove from clothing? Sin is the same. But the great news is that, because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we no longer have to live life permanently stained!

In fact, 1 Corinthians 6:11 gives us this most wonderful promise, "Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." If today you are soiled by sin, why not let him cleanse you from it? No matter how deep the stain or how long it has been there, even if it is "like scarlet", you can be cleansed. For those who call on the name of the Lord, "shall be white as snow."

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us in our sin. Thank you for not giving up on us when we may have given up on ourselves. Help us to find the strength to call out to you at this very moment and ask you to make us white as snow, to cleanse us from our sins and to give us a new start. There is no one with a permanent stain that You cannot make clean. Cleanse us today Lord. We ask this in your most precious name, Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!
www.team413.org

Forgiveness - Toby Mac/Lecrae

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfkhqpl81NA

Prerace with our TEAM 413 team

There were many TEAM 413 members running today!!

The girls from our team caught in action.