March 6th - Let's Play!

Theme of the Day
Grace

Readings of the Day
Numbers 6:1-7:89-The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Mark 12:38-13:13-But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Psalm 49:1-20-For the ransom of life is costly...
Proverbs 10:27-28-The hope of the righteous ends in gladness...
Romans 4:1-12-Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.

God's Word of the Day
Observe My blessings around you, within you and in those I send your way. The ransom was costly...observe My blessings.

Story of the Day
You should have seen the parade of offerings the past few days. All twelve tribes bringing incense, animals, flour and oil. Bringing offerings as a parade. And the containers for the incense and oil! Were talking silver and gold. This was one classy undertaking. There must have been around one hundred animals or so brought forth over twelve days. So the smoke and the blood and the incense were intense. You knew there was something going on each day, all day for those days. Offerings to a God that rescued us out of slavery. We still didn't know what was about to happen in our life. We really didn't know what direction this whole thing would take. I couldn't tell you what my next thirty days would contain. Maybe I live, maybe I die, I just wasn't sure. But I do know that the next days, if they be many or few, were a gift of life from God. I was facing sure death when we ran from the Egyptians, but now I'm alive, and all because of the miraculous life saving power of my God......

You should have seen the parade that day. In the end, I think it was like a parade one of my ancestors saw hundreds of years ago. This too was a parade of offering. But this parade only included one offering, and it wasn't a bunch of animals or some bread making. It was a man. A man who took bread and blood and told us to remember him. So I guess even the the bread ingredients were an offering here too. He was sacrificed on the altar of a cross. He said that he was giving his life for our sin. Once again I was facing sure death. There was no way that I could stand before God and be justified by my actions. I have sinned. I know of my sin. I deserve to die for my sin. But this man came to forgive that sin. This man came to take that sin upon himself and become my sin and sacrifice it on the altar of this cross. So now my next month or even up until my death and even into eternity, I can now live life in abundance, knowing that he has given me eternal life. I can live not for myself but for God now. And this is all the difference. My life has changed. My passion has changed and is deep and meaningful. All because of this man, this sacrifice, this grace, this life given to me. I was facing sure death for my sin, but now I'm alive, and all because of the miraculous saving power of my God.......What a life to live...thirty days...thirty years...eternity! Thanks be to God!

Prayer of the Day
Lord, You richly and graciously bless us with life. Life of Jesus in us and through us. What a wonderful gift. What a precious gift. A gift to cherish. A gift to use. A gift to be so proud of, that we passionately live the life You have called us to live. We live the life You have made us to live. We live life for You and in You and You in us. Life, for the next hour...day...month...year...eternity. All because of You! Thank You, Lord! ---Amen