MONDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 14:32-42
Galatians 1
Psalm 110
2 Samuel 8–10

Galatians 1
Paul’s life was drastically changed when he met Jesus. Before, he was a persecutor of Christians. After, he was a Christian himself. Before, he was “zealous for the traditions” of his fathers and ready to murder anyone who claimed Jesus was the Christ (v. 14). After, he was zealous for the gospel and willing to die for the one he had once denied. Your conversion story might not be as intense as Paul’s, but your life should show some sort of change. Before Christ and after Christ should not be identical. Can those closest to you tell a difference?

TUESDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 14:43-52
Galatians 2
Psalm 111
2 Samuel 11–12

2 Samuel 11–12
David’s sin with Bathsheba that led to the murder of her husband, Uriah, began with one small decision. Samuel 11:1 says, “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men” (emphasis mine). Did you catch that? When kings go out to war, David didn’t. Instead he chose to stay home and send Joab. That one small decision led to another decision that led to another decision that ultimately led him down a path where two innocent people died. Our everyday choices matter more than we might realize. 

WEDNESDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 14:53-65
Galatians 3:1-14
Psalm 112
2 Samuel 13

Psalm 112
Fear is a God-given emotion that can keep us safe from harm. Unfortunately, many of us, because of our pasts or because of the broken world we live in, learn to fear the wrong things. Instead of a healthy fear of the Lord that helps us keep our fear of everything else in check, we develop an unhealthy fear of what the future might hold. Psalm 112:7 says that the righteous “will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” These men and women don’t fear the future because they know God has it under control.

THURSDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 14:66-72
Galatians 3:15-29
Psalm 113
2 Samuel 14–15

Mark 14:66-72
Peter sinned. He had an opportunity to stand up for Jesus and chose instead to deny him. He sinned big time. But he also repented. That is what made all the difference. Too often, we minimize our sins. We compare them to the sins of those around us. At least I’m not doing that, we tell ourselves. When we do this, we make ourselves feel better and, in turn, minimize the sin and make repentance that much harder to accomplish. Peter wasn’t perfect, but when he sinned, he was broken over it. Are we as broken over our sins as Peter was over his? 

FRIDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 15:1-15
Galatians 4:1-20
Psalm 114
2 Samuel 16–17

Galatians 4:1-20
In Galatians 4:15, Paul asked the Christians in Galatia, “Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then?” (New Living Translation). These believers had lost the joy they once had. They became so focused on rules and regulations that they became legalistic. Grace became to them something they could earn rather than something they were freely given in Christ. We do the same thing when we focus on what we do, rather than on who we are. The truth is, you can’t earn grace. That’s what makes it grace. Our actions matter, but they can never save us.

SATURDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 15:16-32
Galatians 4:21-31
Psalm 115
2 Samuel 18–19

Mark 15:16-32
Can you imagine how Simon of Cyrene must have felt when he was forced to carry Jesus’ cross? Did he worry about what people thought of his association with a criminal? Did he feel compassion for Jesus? Did Jesus say anything to him? One thing we do know is that Simon’s son, Rufus, was mentioned again in Romans 16 and was likely a prominent member of the early church. Though we don’t know for sure, I wonder if this encounter with Jesus was what convinced Simon and his family of Jesus’ identity. Jesus’ death changes lives. It was true then, and it’s still true today.