April 11th - Let's Play!

Theme of the Day
Food

Readings of the Day
Joshua 3:1-4:24-Joshua then said to the Israelites, "Draw near and hear the words of the LORD your God.
Luke 14:7-35-So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
Psalm 80:1-19-Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Proverbs 12:27-28-In the path of righteousness there is life...
1 Peter 4:1-8-Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.

God's Word of the Day
Hear the words of Love from the cross.

Story of the Day
It was a curious site, the three of them. This was supposed to be a time for holiday and happiness and remembrance of a God that brought His people out of bondage and freed them. Instead, the city was in an uproar. Everyone was intent on taking care of some dirty business quickly before the holiday began. So this guy, in the center, the one named Jesus, who had made a name for himself, was being crucified that day. The people, that had just before, hailed his name, had begun to realize that the He wouldn't come to rescue the common folks from the power of the government. They were hoping that Jesus would overthrow this government and rise to power just as King David did many years ago. But once again, Jesus turned out to be an impostor. He turned out to be a disappointment. And this angered the crowd. Do away with him if he can't do any more than this. A fake, and an impostor! Crucify him!

It was a curious site, the three of them. As we came closer, we could hear his words. It reminded me of a passage that I had heard Joshua speak out of the readings. "Draw near and hear the words of the LORD your God." This Jesus, had claimed to speak that word of God. I heard him say, "Father forgive them." It seemed as if his face had a slight glow to it. His face that was covered in blood and sweat seem to have a sheen to it. They said Moses' face had a glow to it after he would meet with God. Surely this wasn't the same glow! But those words of forgiveness seemed so curious to me. Why? Why would anyone say this of others as they were being crucified on a cross?

It was a curious site, the three of them. As I drew closer to the scene of the cross, this scene of suffering and death, I felt the strangeness of that forgiveness that Jesus had spoken of. I felt an ironic combination of life through death. I saw the horror of sin on that cross. But again I saw the love of forgiveness and life, all strangely at the same time. I saw a man, in Jesus, giving away all possession and very life in order to grant some word of forgiveness.

It was a curious site, the three of them. As I walked even closer and looked at the one hanging to the left and then again to the one hanging to the right, I saw my face present in theirs. It seemed as if the pathway to Jesus hanging in the center was through my own cross. It seemed as if in that reflection of my face in those criminals that I surely must be a criminal myself. It seemed as if I needed to pay the price for my sins, but instead, my sin lay on the shoulders of Jesus in the center. In the reflection of my face in those criminals, I could see that, sure I would see death, but the punishment for the sin lay on the shoulders of Jesus in the center. This love, this forgiveness, this life was in the center in Jesus! I saw my face in death to the left and to the right, then I saw the glow of love coming from the face of Jesus, all in the center.

It was a curious site, the three of them. As I looked upon my face to the left and to the right and then the face of Jesus in the center; it was as if the entire universe had come to a stop in that moment in time. Jesus had become the center of the universe. All around were peripheral. All focus was on this death to sin and this life to everlasting love.

It was a curious site, the three of them. This center of the universe seemed to speak, "Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins." I saw Love, not death on that center cross, that center of it all that day.

It was a curious site, the three of them...

Prayer of the Day
Lord, of all love, it truly was a Good Friday, a Holy Saturday, and a Blessed Easter. All at the center of the universe. All at the center of life. What a wonderfully, curious, blessed site it is. Thanks be to God! ---Amen