It's the relationships that are the best gifts.
Readings of the Day
Mark 6.1-29-The head of John the Baptist is presented as a reward for a dance at Herod's birthday party.
2 Samuel 15-Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel with deception, in order to be king in David's place.
Daniel 9-Daniel prays for the people and vision in the midst of a sinful and rebellious time.
Matthew 10.24-39-Acknowledge Jesus publicly and he will acknowledge you before the Father, deny him and you will be denied before the Father.
God's Word of the Day
Center all your relationships in Me. I must be at the center.
Story of the Day
It had rained that evening. A good drenching rain. Sure there was some wind and thunder and lightning, but the rain was one of those good rains. Then darkness fell and evening descended upon the earth. At the morning light the tiny droplets of water clung to the end of the branches of trees, to the end of leaves and the needles of the evergreens. All through the night the trees were feeding on the fresh rain from above and into the morning this rain was still feeding the trees with life giving water and clinging on providing life. All through the night the water had become the center of attention. The wind and the thunder and the lightning were only a temporary piece of this storm, but the water was at the center. The water was the purpose. The water was what brought life to the forest.
Prayer of the Day
Lord, I feel the wind, I see the lightning, I hear the thunder in relationships all around me. But sometimes I am mislead by relationships that are based on feeling. Sometimes my heart is stolen through deception and trickery. Sometimes I go to the hometown and get rejected and feel the wind, hear the thunder and see the lightning. Help me to see through the deception of the flashing lightning and the peal of thunder and the gusty wind. Lead me back to You in my relationships. Lead me back to You to center You in all my relationships so that in and through these relationships with Your children we all may feed on Your life giving water. Be the center of my dealings with others and help me to always keep Your presence in mind. Lead me away from the evil of the dance. Lead me away from the evil of giving in to the temptation to reward with the heads of others. Guide me away from sin and rebellion. Be at the center of all my dealings with those I come into relationship with this day. Let Your life giving water cling to my heart throughout the night and into the day. For You are the purpose and You are the life. You are the One I proclaim to all the world. You are the gift at the center of relationship. You are the blessing, now and forever. ---Amen
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