Daily Reading Week 26
Sunday
Nehemiah 12 (Focus scripture Nehemiah 12:27-47)
Discover:
Nehemiah 12:27–47 gives us a glimpse into a joyful moment in Israel’s history—the dedication of Jerusalem’s wall. This isn’t just a historical footnote; it’s Nehemiah’s own account of a deeply meaningful event. The fact that the people held a special ceremony to dedicate the wall shows just how significant this accomplishment was. It stood right up there with the dedication of Solomon’s temple (see 1 Kings 8). Building the wall wasn’t just about bricks and mortar—it was about protecting the community, preserving their identity, and staying faithful to God’s law. With the wall complete, the people could live securely and remain set apart as a light to the nations, just as God had called them to be (Exodus 19:1–6; Isaiah 42:6). It truly felt like a fresh start, and celebration was the natural response.
The dedication itself was full of life and symbolism. Two joyful processions of people walked along the top of the wall in opposite directions, eventually meeting at the temple. There, they worshiped the Lord with great sacrifices and heartfelt rejoicing. Scripture tells us that “the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. When God’s people celebrate His goodness, it sends a message to the world. Our joy becomes a testimony.
Are we known as people who rejoice in our salvation? It’s easy to get caught up in life’s challenges and forget the incredible gift we’ve been given. But as Dr. R.C. Sproul often reminded us, while we shouldn’t ignore the hardships of life, we also shouldn’t be marked by gloom. Christians are called to be people of joy. Let’s remember who we belong to and let that truth fill us with hope and gladness.
Respond:
1. How do you prepare your heart for worship each week?
2. In what ways can you actively participate in worship, even if singing isn't your favorite part?
3. How can you project joy in your daily life as a reflection of your worship?
Monday
Psalm 100
Discover:
The book of Psalms is more than just poetry—it’s the songbook of God’s people. It gives us a window into the kinds of prayers and praises that delight the Lord, many of which were meant to be sung aloud. Psalm 100 is a perfect example—a joyful hymn of thanksgiving and praise to our Creator. It’s also a call to worship, inviting everyone to lift their voices to the Lord.
What’s especially striking is how the psalm begins: “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!” (v. 1). That’s not just a call to Israel—it’s a call to the whole world. While much of the Old Testament focuses on God’s relationship with Israel, this verse reminds us that God’s heart has always been for the nations. Yes, the prophets often rebuked Israel for failing to be a light to the Gentiles, but there were always faithful people who longed to see all nations come to know and worship the one true God.
Verse 3 reinforces this: “Know that the LORD, he is God!” In Hebrew, the word “LORD” (in small caps) represents God’s covenant name, Yahweh. So this verse is essentially saying, “Recognize that Israel’s God—Yahweh—is the only true God, the Creator of all.” He’s not just a local deity; He’s the Lord of everyone. All people belong to Him, and those who trust in Him become His treasured possession.
The psalm doesn’t stop at calling people to acknowledge God—it invites them to serve Him with gladness. This isn’t a burdensome kind of service. As Augustine of Hippo once said in a sermon on this psalm, “Fear not the servitude of that Lord… it is a sweet service, because we are all redeemed.” Serving God is a joyful calling. He doesn’t mistreat His servants—He welcomes them into His family.
Respond:
1. What does it mean to you to "enter His gates with thanksgiving"?
2. How can you incorporate gratitude into your daily routine?
3. Reflect on a time when you felt God's faithfulness. How did it impact your worship?
Tuesday
Hebrews 12 (Scripture Focus HEBREWS 12:1-17)
Discover:
At the end of Hebrews 11, we’re reminded that the faithful men and women of the old covenant didn’t receive the full promises of God during their lifetimes. God had something even better in store—something that would include us. He wasn’t going to complete the story without bringing new covenant believers into it. Still, those saints died in faith, trusting that God would fulfill every promise in His perfect time.
Jesus is the one who brings all of God’s promises to completion. Through His perfect sacrifice, He established the new covenant and made a way for God’s people to be perfected.
Even though we live on this side of the cross—after Jesus’ sacrifice—we’re still waiting, just like they were. We’re waiting for Christ to return and bring His kingdom to its full and final glory. So, like the saints before us, we’re called to keep going, to persevere in faith until the end.
That’s exactly what Hebrews 12:1 encourages us to do: “Run with endurance the race that is set before us.” The author uses the image of a race—something the original readers would’ve easily understood, like an Olympic footrace. The Christian life is a long-distance run, not a sprint. It takes endurance, focus, and determination to reach the finish line and receive the prize.
One of the most inspiring motivations we have is the “great cloud of witnesses” surrounding us. Picture a stadium packed with cheering fans. In our race of faith, those fans are the faithful believers from Hebrews 11. They’re cheering us on—not with words, but with their example. Their lives say to us, “We trusted God even when we couldn’t see the end. You live in an even better time—so keep going! Don’t give up!”
But to run well, we have to travel light. Hebrews tells us to throw off anything that weighs us down—especially sin. Sin clings to us like heavy clothing, slowing us down and making it hard to move forward. If we don’t deal with it, we risk never finishing the race. So we’re called to lay it aside, to turn from it, and to fix our eyes on Jesus—the one who ran the race before us and now waits at the finish line.
Respond:
1. What distractions or sins do you need to lay aside to focus on Jesus?
2. How does understanding God's discipline as love change your perspective on challenges?
3. In what ways can you run your race of faith with perseverance?
Wednesday
1 Peter 2 (Scripture Focus 1 Peter 2:1-12)
Discover:
In chapter two of his first epistle, the apostle Peter continues developing the idea of the church as God’s house. In chapter he focuses on how God is building this spiritual house by bringing believers together as “living stones.” Here, Peter focuses on the foundation of that house—the most important stone of all.
That foundation is Jesus Christ. Peter calls Him the “cornerstone,” a title rooted in Old Testament prophecy. In verse 6, Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16, where God promises to lay a precious cornerstone in Zion. Back then, Israel’s leaders were putting their trust in foreign powers like Egypt instead of relying on God. But God responded by saying, “I’m laying a new foundation—and only those who trust in Me will never be put to shame.” That promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. He is the rock of our salvation, the one who guarantees our eternal security. He’s not just the cornerstone—He’s the true and living Temple, replacing the old one entirely. And we become part of this new Temple only by trusting in Him.
Peter goes on to say that those who trust in Jesus receive honor. Though all glory belongs to Christ, God graciously shares His honor with us because we belong to Him.
Not everyone accepts this cornerstone, however. Peter reminds us that this rejection was also foretold. In verse 7, he quotes Psalm 118:22, which originally referred to a king rejected by his people but later vindicated. That king, of course, is ultimately Jesus. Though He was rejected, He was raised in glory—and now He stands as the cornerstone of God’s new house. For those who believe, He’s the foundation. But for those who don’t, He becomes a stumbling block. Even this rejection doesn’t catch God off guard though, it’s all part of His sovereign plan.
Respond:
1. How does your identity in Christ influence your worship?
2. What spiritual sacrifices can you offer to God in your daily life?
3. How can you declare God's praises in your community?
Thursday
Psalm 95
Discover:
Throughout Scripture, God offers deep comfort to our souls. One of His most reassuring promises is that He will never leave us or forsake us, as stated in Hebrews 13:5. That means no matter how hard life gets, He is right there with us—walking through the fire, refining us, and shaping us for His purposes, just as Isaiah 48:1–10 describes. And His promise in Romans 8:29–30—that everyone He justifies, He will also glorify—reminds us that those who truly trust in Christ are secure in Him forever. But that doesn’t mean we just sit back and do nothing. We have a part to play in this journey of faith.
Psalm 95 tells us who God is: the “great King above all gods,” the One who holds everything in His hands, as seen in verses 1–5. Because He is so powerful and trustworthy, we can rest in the assurance that He will bring us safely into His eternal kingdom. That doesn’t mean we’ll never face danger or hardship in this life—but it does mean that our future with Him is secure. When we truly grasp His greatness and grace, our natural response is worship, as verses 6–7 show.
Scripture also warns us: not everyone who claims to follow God belongs to Him. This is made clear in Matthew 25:31–46 and 1 John 2:19. There are those who appear to be part of the flock but are not truly His. While the final separation of true believers from false ones will happen when Christ returns, God sometimes reveals this even now.
Psalm 95 points to the hardening of hearts as to how that happens today. It recalls the time when the Israelites grumbled at Meribah, doubting God’s provision despite all He had done for them, as recorded in Exodus 17:1–7 and Numbers 20:2–13. Because of their hardened hearts, that generation never entered the Promised Land, as Psalm 95:10–11 recounts. The lesson is clear: if we harden our hearts and turn away from God, we risk missing out on the fullness of His salvation.
Respond:
1. How do you balance celebration and submission in your worship?
2. What does it mean to you to "listen to His voice today"?
3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's greatness. How did it affect your worship?
Friday
1 Thessalonians 5 (Scripture Focus 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
Discover:
Jesus never said the Christian life would be easy. In fact, He told His disciples to expect a life of cross-bearing and suffering—though not without moments of joy—and the promise of eternal blessing to come. You can see this clearly in Matthew 16:24–28 and Mark 10:29–31.
When we go through trials, it can be hard to keep the right mindset—the kind of joyful, thankful attitude that reflects our identity as citizens of heaven. But that’s exactly what we’re called to do: to walk by faith and hold on to the hope of heaven, whether life is going smoothly or not. The first readers of 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 were facing real persecution. Their daily lives didn’t give them much reason to rejoice, yet Paul still urged them to keep rejoicing, to keep praying, and to keep giving thanks.
In verses 16–18, Paul writes that it is God’s will for us to “rejoice always,” “pray without ceasing,” and “give thanks in all circumstances.” The way this is written in the original language shows that these three things are essential parts of God’s will for us—but they’re not the only parts. Earlier in the letter, Paul also talks about avoiding sexual immorality, loving one another, and working diligently in our daily lives. So, Paul isn’t saying we should literally spend every second praying or rejoicing. Instead, he’s calling us to live with a spirit of prayer, gratitude, and joy that shapes everything we do—whether it’s a regular day or a special occasion, whether life feels easy or hard.
And importantly, Paul isn’t asking us to fake it. He’s not saying we should pretend everything is fine when it’s not. He doesn’t tell us to give thanks for every circumstance, but rather to give thanks in every circumstance. That’s a big difference. We’re called to see our hardships in light of God’s bigger plan—one that is always working for our good and His glory, as Romans 8:28 reminds us. There’s a time to grieve, to lament, and to be honest about our pain—just look at Psalm 88. But even in those moments, we can hold onto a deeper joy. It’s not about feeling happy all the time—it’s about knowing that we belong to Christ, and that He’s preparing a future for us filled with joy beyond anything we can imagine.
Respond:
1. How can you incorporate rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks into your daily routine?
2. In what ways can you encourage and build up others in your community?
3. How does living a life of worship impact your relationships?
Saturday
Luke 8 (Scripture Focus Luke 8:26-39)
Discover:
In today’s passage, Jesus meets a man possessed by many demons—so many that they call themselves “Legion.” This man had been cast out by society, living among tombs, chained and tormented. But when Jesus steps onto the scene, everything changes. With a word, He sets the man free. The transformation is immediate and undeniable: the man is found “sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind.”
There’s something deeply personal about this encounter. It reminds me that no matter how broken or bound I’ve felt—by fear, shame, sin, or sorrow—Jesus has the power to restore. He doesn’t just clean us up; He gives us a new identity. I think back to moments in my life when I felt stuck in patterns I couldn’t break, or when I believed lies about who I was. But Jesus met me there. He didn’t turn away. He spoke peace into my chaos and gave me a new purpose.
One of the most striking points of this story is what happens after the healing. The man begs to go with Jesus, but Jesus sends him home instead. Not as a rejection, but as a mission. “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you,” Jesus says. And the man obeys—he becomes a witness, telling his story throughout the city.
That’s the call for all of us who’ve been changed by Christ. We may not have dramatic stories, but we all have a story. And that story—of how Jesus met us, healed us, and gave us hope—is worth sharing. It’s not about having the perfect words. It’s about pointing to the One who changed everything.
Even our worship becomes part of that witness. When we live with gratitude, when we praise God in the middle of hard seasons, when we show joy that doesn’t make sense to the world—that’s powerful. People notice. Worship isn’t just what we do on Sunday; it’s how we live every day in response to what Jesus has done.
Respond:
1. How has Jesus transformed your life, and how can you share that story with others?
2. What does it mean to you to testify to God's work in your life?
3. How can your worship be a witness to those around you?