September 27th - Let's Play!

Theme of the Day
Passion

Readings of the Day
1 John 5-For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world.
Ezra 3-4-And all the people responded with a great shout when the praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Psalm 92-For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!
Psalm 25.1-9-Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.

God's Word of the Day
Respond to My grace in obedience not from what you have done but because of what I have done for you in love.

Story of the Day
I was a slave. I was bought for a price. I was put to work for my master. No matter as hard as I worked, I could never please my master. It really didn't seem to matter anyway. He owned me after all. It didn't matter if I pleased him or not. He treated me as some "thing" that he owned and deserved to get his moneys worth out of. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fully please him. I was always something less that he expected. So I gave up on it. I even got mad at him for the way he treated me. I couldn't stand my master. I was nothing to him and he meant nothing to me. So that's when the beatings began. The more he beat me the more I hated him. I would kill him if I ever had the chance. And he nearly killed me in beating me. He would beat me to near death and then stop. I was a "thing" after all that he paid for and he wanted his moneys worth out of me, so he would never kill me, unless he thought the joy of killing me was worth the money. There was no love anywhere, me for him or him for me.

Prayer of the Day
Lord, forgive us in this world who turn Your Love upside down. Forgive us in our abuse of people. Forgive our hateful hearts. Forgive our unloving actions. Forgive our sinful desires. Turn us around to see the obedience Jesus had for the Father's command to give himself for our sin. Make Your Love glaringly obvious to all of us that we me see the depth of that Love for each person You have created. Open our eyes to Your work of Love in Jesus life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension. Open our hearts to that relationship with Jesus we all need and desire. Transform us through obedience and discipleship as we respond to Your awesome and powerful Love in Jesus. Transform us as we serve You and walk Your path. We follow Your lead and ask You to teach us in truth what we should do for You and each other, all in the Love and the name of Jesus our Savior. For You have shown a Master's Love that is beyond explanation and we in joyful obedience respond in a wonderful and eternal love for You. That's the way it's supposed to be. May our love for You and for each other reflect Your gracious Love, now and forever.---Amen