MONDAY

Reading for Today:
John 11:45-57
1 John 4:1-6
Job 15:17-35
Ezekiel 42–44

Ezekiel 42–44
There’s a verse tucked away in Ezekiel 44 that may not be familiar. Verse 15 mentions the Levitical priests who were descendants of Zadok and remained faithful to God even though the rest of the Israelites went astray. They are mentioned again in Ezekiel 48:11. These men refused to follow the crowd. They stood up for God even when it wasn’t popular. They were different. They might have been considered weird or holier-than-thou. It’s not an easy thing to go against the crowd. That didn’t stop them from being faithful to God. Don’t let it stop you either.

TUESDAY

Reading for Today:
John 12:1-11
1 John 4:7-21
Job 16
Ezekiel 45–47

Job 16
Sone things are better left unsaid. Job’s friends’ speeches fit the category. When Job needed encouragement, they offered judgment. When Job needed love, they offered scorn. What they failed to do was put themselves into Job’s shoes. They thought they understood the situation, but they didn’t. Job told them in verse 4, “I also could speak like you, if you were in my place.” It’s easy to talk, but being quiet is often more helpful. The next time someone shares a problem with you, focus on feeling with them, rather than talking at them.

WEDNESDAY

Reading for Today:
John 12:12-19
1 John 5:1-12
Job 17
Ezekiel 48

1 John 5:1-12
Some people are hard to love. That’s reality. Not everyone is going to “click” with your personality type. Not everyone is going to agree with you. We are all sinners. We are all broken in some way or another. The saying, “Hurt people hurt people,” is true. Nonetheless, the call of the Christian is to love. First John 5:1 says, “Everyone who loves the Father loves his child as well.” We can’t love God while hating his other children, even if those other children are difficult to love. This week, love the Father by loving his kids. 

THURSDAY

Reading for Today:
John 12:20-36
1 John 5:13-21
Job 18
Daniel 1–2

John 12:20-36
We often pray, “Lord, keep my family healthy.” “Lord, heal this person.” “Lord, remove this hard thing from my life.” These prayers are not wrong, but they’re significantly different than what Jesus prayed in John 12. In verses 27 and 28 Jesus asked, “What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Jesus didn’t pray for God to save him. He prayed for God to be glorified. His focus was more on God’s exaltation than his own ease. What is your focus?

FRIDAY

Reading for Today:
John 12:37-50
2 John 1-13
Job 19
Daniel 3–4

Daniel 3–4
Two of the most powerful words in Scripture are the words “even if,” found in Daniel 3. After Nebuchadnezzar ordered everyone to bow down to the image of gold, three men refused: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They told Nebuchadnezzar they knew their God was able to save them from the fiery furnace. Nonetheless, they added, even if God did not save them, they would not bow down to any image (verses 17, 18). Are you willing to follow God even if he doesn’t save you from tragedy? Are you willing to follow him even if he doesn’t grant your request?

SATURDAY

Reading for Today:
John 13:1-11
3 John 1-14
Job 20
Daniel 5–6

John 13:1-11
Serving isn’t always fun. For instance, serving isn’t fun when it means unclogging an overflowing toilet, cleaning up after a sick family member, wiping noses, or battling strong-willed children. It probably wasn’t fun for Jesus all the time either. Nonetheless, he did it. John 13:3-5 tells us that Jesus knew he came from God and was returning to God, so he washed his disciples’ feet. He knew who he was, so he served. The reason he was able to serve was because he understood his true identity. When you and I fully grasp who we are in Christ, it makes getting our hands dirty much easier.