MONDAY

Reading for Today:
Matthew 26:1-16
Romans 9:19-33
Psalm 62
Deuteronomy 1–3

Psalm 62
We sometimes look for rest in the wrong places. We might think we need to go on a vacation to get rest. We might think we need more sleep at night. Though vacations are wonderful, the best way to get rest is not to get away. Though many times we do need more sleep, sleep alone does not provide all the rest our souls need. The best way to get rest is not to get away from our daily responsibilities or to simply get more sleep. The best way to get rest is to get close to Jesus.

TUESDAY

Reading for Today:
Matthew 26:17-35
Romans 10
Psalm 63
Deuteronomy 4–5

Romans 10
The Israelites tried to make themselves righteous (Romans 10:3). They clung to traditions and rules and thought that by following them, they’d be good enough. Unfortunately, they didn’t succeed. Neither can we. Like the Israelites, we sometimes try to make ourselves righteous. We keep rules, go to church, avoid certain things, and hope that by our actions, we’ll make the cut. In reality, no matter how hard we try, we can’t be good enough. We’re still sinners. But thanks be to God, there is one who was good enough, and he paid the price for us to obtain his righteousness.

WEDNESDAY

Reading for Today:
Matthew 26:36-56
Romans 11:1-24
Psalm 64
Deuteronomy 6–8

Deuteronomy 6–8
Moses told the Israelites to talk about God’s commandments throughout each day: “Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). Basically, the idea was to make God a part of their everyday lives. Unfortunately, many of us today leave the teaching of God’s Word to the “professionals.” Our kids learn about God on Sundays and maybe Wednesdays, but we’re often too busy the rest of the week. The truth is, it’s not the church’s job to teach our kids about Jesus. It’s our job.

THURSDAY

Reading for Today:
Matthew 26:57-75
Romans 11:25-36
Psalm 65
Deuteronomy 9–12

Matthew 26:57-75
Peter made some big mistakes. For instance, he denied Jesus three times, even after Jesus had warned him about it. You and I might not deny Jesus in such obvious ways as Peter did, but many of us still deny him in more subtle ways. We deny Jesus when we pretend not to be a Christian, when we shy away from talking about him, or when we act in ways that dishonor him. Peter’s denial was obvious. Ours might be subtle. Both break the heart of Jesus. Let’s make sure our actions, words, and thoughts don’t deny him today.

FRIDAY

Reading for Today:
Matthew 27:1-10
Romans 12:1-8
Psalm 66
Deuteronomy 13–17

Psalm 66
What has God done for you recently? The psalmist in today’s reading said, “Let me tell you what he has done for me” (Psalm 66:16). He was so excited about what God had done for him that he couldn’t wait to share the good news with those who would listen. Many of us today don’t share that same excitement. When was the last time you were so excited about the Lord that you couldn’t contain your enthusiasm? When was the last time you said, “Let me tell you what God has done for me”?

SATURDAY

Reading for Today:
Matthew 27:11-26
Romans 12:9-21
Psalm 67
Deuteronomy 18–21

Romans 12:9-21
How do you react when someone else receives a promotion or a blessing you desire? Do you rejoice with them like Paul commanded in Romans 12:15, or do you wonder why you didn’t get something similar? Likewise, how do you react when someone hurts? Many people are uncomfortable around the broken. They avoid hurting people and awkward silences. Rather than avoid them, Paul encouraged the believers to “mourn with those who mourn.” The best thing to do when people are hurting is to hurt with them, because when we do, we lift some of the weight from their shoulders.