Daily Reading Week 21
Sunday
1 Peter 5 (focus v. 6–11)
Discover:
In today’s passage, Peter wraps up the main part of his first letter. He circles back to key themes to remind us of God’s incredible power and the temporary nature of our trials.
He’s already shown that Christians everywhere face suffering (5:9). Now he encourages us that it lasts only “a little while” (v. 10). From an eternal viewpoint, even a lifetime of hardship is brief compared to the glory waiting for us. That hope helps us endure.
This same encouragement appeared at the beginning of the letter (1:6–7). And just like there, Peter reminds us that God uses our suffering to strengthen us. After our trials, and even during them, He promises to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us (5:10). He’s at work in the middle of the pain, refining and empowering us to stand firm.
Peter closes with a beautiful doxology, praising God’s sovereignty and His commitment to keep us secure in Christ (5:11). Because our calling is rooted in Jesus and His eternal kingdom, it will never fade.
When we fix our eyes on eternity, suffering looks very different. Knowing we’ll enjoy God’s glory forever gives us fresh courage to persevere.
Take a few moments today to reflect on the joy of seeing God face to face (1 Cor. 13:12). Ask Him to keep reminding you of the wonderful glory He’s preparing you for through every trial.
Respond:
• What anxiety do you need to cast on Him today?
• Where is pride making it harder to stand firm?
• Do you believe restoration is coming?
Monday
2 Kings 6 (foucs v. 15–17)
Discover:
After the Lord healed the Syrian commander Naaman (2 Kings 5), you would think Syria would have shown kindness toward God’s people. Instead, the king of Syria kept making war against Israel. In today’s passage, we see his attacks included raiding parties that plundered Israelite towns as well as full-scale invasions of the northern kingdom.
First, let’s look at the raiding parties. As the Syrian king planned his attacks, the Lord revealed those plans to Elisha, who passed the information on to King Jehoram of Israel (2 Kings 6:8–10). When the Syrian king discovered this, he sent a large army to capture Elisha. But the Lord protected His prophet with an unseen army of horses and chariots of fire. In the end, God caused the raids to stop without any bloodshed (6:11–23).
These raids were more than just Syria’s greed. They were part of the covenant curses God had warned would come if His people turned to idolatry (Lev. 26:25). Israel had stubbornly worshiped foreign gods, so the Lord allowed these enemies to attack. The fact that He eventually rescued them shows His great patience and grace.
Even so, the curses returned. Syria later launched a major invasion and besieged Samaria, Israel’s capital. The famine was so severe that people paid huge prices for poor food and even turned to cannibalism (6:24–29). These horrors were exactly what God had warned about in the covenant curses for persistent idolatry (Lev. 26:23–29).
Once again, the Lord showed mercy and turned the Syrian army away. Sadly, King Jehoram still refused to learn. Instead of repenting of Israel’s idolatry, he blamed Elisha for the suffering (6:30–7:20).
Reading through the Old Testament, we should stand in awe of the Lord’s patience with His people. He preserved Israel far longer than they deserved, repeatedly sending prophets to call them back to Him. God shows that same patience with us today. Instead of immediately disciplining us for our sin, He gently calls us to repent through His Word. Let’s not take His patience for granted.
Respond:
• What situation feels bigger than you right now?
• Have you asked God to open your eyes spiritually?
• How does remembering His presence steady you?
tuesday
1 Thessalonians 3 (focus v. 7–8)
Discover:
The Apostle Paul gives us this clear command in Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” He is urging us not to think of ourselves as isolated individuals in our walk with Christ. Instead, we are to see ourselves as deeply connected to other believers, so that their joys become our joys and their sorrows become our sorrows.
We are called to live this way because it reflects the reality of our union in Christ. In today’s passage, Paul shares how Timothy’s good report about the Thessalonians brought him great comfort and even new life (1 Thess. 3:6–8). This kind of deep encouragement is possible only because we are members of one body in Christ (Rom. 12:5). Our spiritual well-being is mysteriously tied together.
Timothy reported that the Thessalonians were continuing in faith and love (1 Thess. 3:6). Their ongoing trust in Christ and the love that flowed from it showed that the gospel was truly bearing fruit in their lives. Faith connects us to Jesus, and love proves that our faith is real. As John Calvin noted, these two qualities sum up true godliness. When we pursue deeper faith and love for God and others, we are safe from falling away.
Even so, our perseverance does not depend on our own effort. The Thessalonians were standing firm “in the Lord” (1 Thess. 3:8). Christ Himself sustains His people and will never let them be snatched away (John 10:28–29). Their faithfulness encouraged Paul in his own trials and confirmed that God was powerfully at work through his ministry.
It is easy to forget how closely we are connected to other believers. Their faith and joy strengthen ours, and ours in turn strengthen theirs. As we grow in faith and joy for our own sake, we are also helping sustain the faith and joy of our brothers and sisters in Christ. In growing closer to the Lord, we become a source of strength for His people.
Respond:
• Who is strengthened by your consistency?
• Where are you tempted to waver?
• How can your faith encourage others?
Wednesday
Zephaniah 3:14–17
Discover:
From King David’s organization of the Levitical musicians (1 Chron. 25) to the Psalms and all the way to the song of the redeemed in Revelation 19, Scripture shows how important music is in worship. What we sometimes forget is that the Lord Himself joins in this music. Today’s passage highlights this.
The prophet Zephaniah spent much of his ministry warning about the day of the Lord, a day of judgment on unfaithful Judah and God’s enemies. Parts of this prophecy were fulfilled when Jerusalem fell in 586 BC, but a final day of judgment is still coming (Rev. 20:11–15). Yet Zephaniah’s message is not only about judgment. He ends his book with wonderful hope: the future salvation of people from Israel and the Gentile nations (3:9–20).
What is especially amazing is that when God’s people are saved, the Lord Himself rejoices and sings over them. The same Hebrew word for “rejoice” appears in verses 14 and 17, first for the people’s joy and then for God’s own joy. The God of the universe sings with delight as He brings His children into His kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy.
This reveals the affection our Father has for us. He loves us not because we are worthy, but simply because He has chosen to set His love upon us (Deut. 7:6–8). Zephaniah even calls God the “mighty one” (3:17), a title that points forward to the Messiah from David’s line. In Jesus Christ, God has come to us, accomplished our redemption, and now sings over us while leading us in songs of praise to the Father.
Our God is the great and holy Lord, never to be taken lightly. Yet He is not distant or cold. He truly loves His children with a deep, costly love. When you feel discouraged or afraid, remember this: your Father sings over you. Let that truth draw you closer to Him today. Seek His face and worship Him for all the good He has done, knowing His joyful song is over you.
Respond:
• Do you believe God delights in you?
• How would confidence in His love change your stability?
• Where do you need to rest in His nearness?
THursday
2 Peter 3:17–18
Discover:
The Apostle Peter ends his first letter with a strong warning about the devil, who prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). He knew God’s people must stay alert against the enemy’s tricks.
In today’s passage, Peter closes his second letter with a similar warning. In 2 Peter 3:17, he urges us to be careful so we are not carried away by the errors of “lawless people.” He is mainly talking about the false teachers he described throughout the letter, but the warning applies more broadly. After reading this epistle, we have no excuse if we fall for false ideas like libertinism, denying Christ’s return, or any other teaching that opposes Scripture. We must be ready to reject false teaching whenever it appears.
If we are not careful, Peter says we can lose our stability (v. 17). He is not teaching that true Christians can lose their salvation. Those who never turn away from serious error show they never had genuine faith to begin with (1 John 2:19). Even so, true believers can still be tempted by false doctrine and begin to waver in their faith and assurance. When we see this in ourselves or others, we should identify the wrong ideas behind it and either humbly receive correction or gently but firmly point fellow believers back to the apostles’ teaching.
As in his first letter, Peter does not end only with a warning. He also gives a positive exhortation. In 3:18, he calls us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” to whom belong glory both now and forever. The best protection against error is to keep drawing closer to Jesus and deepening our understanding of His truth.
Respond:
• Where might subtle compromise be creeping in?
• Are you growing intentionally in grace?
• What practice could deepen your spiritual roots?
Friday
Joshua 23 (focus v. 8–11)
Discover:
Obedience in one generation does not guarantee obedience in the next. If we fail to pass on the faith and urge our children to follow God, we should not be surprised when they drift away. Every generation needs to be called back to the Word of God (Ps. 78:5–8).
Joshua gives Israel exactly this kind of charge near the end of his life. Although he had been a faithful leader and brought the people some rest from their enemies, the conquest of the land was still incomplete (Josh. 13:1–7). The remaining task would only be finished if the next generation stayed faithful to the Lord and drove out the rest of the Canaanites. If they turned away from the law of Moses and let the pagan nations stay, those nations would lead Israel into idolatry (Josh. 23:1–16).
Joshua reminded the people of all God had done for them in the conquest so far (v. 3). He urged them to keep obeying the law of Moses and to stay far away from the Canaanites’ idols, intermarriage, and pagan worship (vv. 6, 12–13). We can learn the same lesson today: we must guard against false worship and avoid marrying unbelievers. As John Calvin wisely said, we should “beware of allowing ourselves to become involved in fellowship with wickedness, by not keeping at a sufficient distance from it.”
The rest Joshua gave Israel was only temporary. It would take a greater Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, to win the final victory over sin and death and bring God’s people into complete rest. While Jesus has already accomplished our greatest deliverance, we have not yet entered the full rest that awaits us. So let us continue in faith until we enjoy that perfect rest in His completed kingdom (Heb. 3:7–4:13).
Respond:
• What competes for your loyalty?
• Are you clinging tightly or loosely to God?
• What strengthens your attachment to Him?
Saturday
Revelation 2 (focus v. 10)
Discover:
After Ephesus, the courier carrying Revelation would next arrive in Smyrna. So Jesus speaks to the church there right after addressing Ephesus (Revelation 2:8–11).
In the first century, Smyrna was a center for emperor worship. This helps explain Jesus’ words to the church. He mentions “the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (2:9). Jews were exempt from emperor worship, and early on, Christians were often viewed as part of Judaism. Later, however, some Jews in Smyrna reported Christians to Roman authorities for refusing to worship Caesar. This same kind of betrayal later cost Polycarp, Smyrna’s bishop, his life.
Knowing this danger, Jesus tells the church not to fear the suffering ahead. He warns that some of them will face imprisonment and even martyrdom for “ten days.” Notably, Smyrna is one of only two churches (along with Philadelphia) that receive no call to repent — only encouragement to stay faithful.
Jesus promises the faithful a crown of life and protection from the second death (vv. 10–11). The second death is the final, eternal judgment for all whose names are not in the Book of Life (20:14–15). Those who overcome — who keep trusting Jesus even to the point of death — receive eternal life.
We are called to this same persevering faith. We may never face martyrdom, but we might still be slandered, mocked, passed over at work, or rejected by family because of Christ. Even then, we can take heart. If we remain faithful, we will reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12).
Respond:
• What does finishing well mean for you?
• Where is perseverance required long-term?
• How does eternity shape your present endurance?