This section of Proverbs (10:1–22:16) moves from the extended invitations of the opening chapters into Solomon’s shorter sayings, showing what wisdom looks like in everyday life. The fear of the LORD remains the foundation as we consider honesty, diligence, generosity, humility, and our willingness to receive correction. These sayings often contrast the righteous with the wicked and the wise with the foolish, helping us recognize the character and consequences of each way of life. Proverbs 11 condemns dishonest dealings, while Proverbs 14 connects our treatment of the poor with our regard for their Maker. Proverbs 22 reminds us that rich and poor alike owe their lives to the LORD. Together, these readings teach us that walking wisely involves how we work, handle money, and treat our neighbors. We must also read them alongside the rest of Scripture: they describe God’s wise ordering of life without promising that righteousness will always bring immediate relief or prosperity. Our trust rests in Him as we learn to follow His ways.
Our words receive particular attention throughout these readings. Proverbs 10 exposes the harm of careless speech, Proverbs 15 commends the gentle answer that quiets anger, and Proverbs 18 warns that speaking before listening brings shame. Proverbs 16 describes gracious words as bringing sweetness and healing. These sayings call us to consider both what we say and the heart from which we say it. The scarlet thread leads us toward Jesus, whose words reveal His wisdom, grace, and truth. Those who heard Him marveled at the gracious words He spoke (Luke 4:22), and His teaching carried an authority unlike that of their scribes (Matthew 7:28–29). He also taught that our mouths speak from the abundance of our hearts (Luke 6:45). We need more than greater care in choosing our words; we need Him to change the hearts behind them. As His people, we are called to speak truthfully and use our words to build others up and give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:25, 29).
These chapters also bring wisdom into the exercise of authority. Proverbs 16 describes righteousness as essential to a king’s throne, while Proverbs 20 pictures a wise king discerning and confronting evil. Yet even a king remains under God’s rule: Proverbs 21 reminds us that the LORD directs the king’s heart and that victory belongs to Him. These descriptions help us recognize both what righteous leadership should be and how far earthly rulers fall short. They prepare us to see Jesus, the greater Son of David, who rules with perfect justice and whose throne endures forever (Hebrews 1:8–9). He is also the righteous Savior who makes sinners right with God and teaches them to live as His people (1 Corinthians 1:30; Titus 2:11–14). As we read, ask the Spirit to help us receive His correction, practice honesty and mercy, and speak words that reflect His grace. The wisdom of Proverbs reaches into the ordinary moments of our days, calling us to live under the authority of Jesus — the righteous Savior, gracious Teacher, and just King.
Let’s dive in together and see JESUS in these readings from Proverbs!
November 18 — Proverbs 10 Solomon contrasts righteousness and wickedness in work, wealth, speech, and relationships, showing wisdom gives life but sin leads to death.
November 19 — Proverbs 11 The LORD delights in honesty, humility, trustworthy speech, and generosity, showing that righteousness blesses a community while sin leads to ruin.
November 20 — Proverbs 14 Those who fear the LORD consider their ways, avoid evil, care for the poor, and find secure refuge in God, while folly destroys homes and nations.
November 21 — Proverbs 15 The LORD sees every heart, delights in the prayer of the upright, and teaches that gentle words, correction, and humility belong to wisdom’s path.
November 22 — Proverbs 16 The LORD weighs motives, establishes plans, and rules all outcomes; His wisdom produces righteousness and the life-giving justice of a king.
November 23 — Proverbs 18 Words carry life or death, but the righteous find true security in the LORD, listening before answering, resisting gossip/pride, and valuing friendship.
November 24 — Proverbs 20 No one can claim a pure heart, so wisdom receives correction, waits for the LORD’s justice, and looks to the faithful King for redemption.
November 25 — Proverbs 21 The LORD directs kings and weighs hearts, desiring righteousness over empty worship; no human wisdom can prevail against His purpose.
November 26 — Proverbs 22:1-16 Because the LORD made rich and poor alike, wisdom prizes character over wealth, trains children in life’s right path, and gives generously.
Continue in the See JESUS in the Old Testament readings with Book III of the Psalms!
Book II of the Psalms (Psalms 42–72) continues the prayers of God’s people as they bring their troubles before Him and wait for His help. Alongside David’s prayers, we hear from the sons of Korah and Asaph, with the final psalm attributed to Solomon. These voices draw us into both personal struggles and the suffering of God’s people together. Psalms 42–43 express a deep longing for God’s presence, while Psalm 44 asks why His people suffer even as they seek to remain faithful. Other readings remind us that God is our refuge, that He deserves sincere worship, and that sinners need the cleansing only He can provide. Through sorrow, repentance, and thanksgiving, these psalms teach us to place our hope in Him. They also keep before us the connection between God’s people and His appointed king — a connection that leads us toward Jesus, whose victory secures the salvation of His people.
The scarlet thread comes into particular focus in Psalms 45 and 49. Psalm 45 celebrates a royal wedding, describing the king’s greatness, righteous rule, and enduring throne. Its praise reaches beyond what any earthly descendant of David could fully fulfill. Hebrews 1:8–9 applies its words to Jesus, the Son whose throne lasts forever. This royal wedding also helps prepare us to understand Him as the Bridegroom who loves His church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25–27). Psalm 49 turns our attention to a need no earthly king or fortune can meet: no human being can pay enough to escape death. Yet the psalmist trusts that God will redeem him and receive him. That hope finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). What we could never purchase, He provides through His death and resurrection.
Book II also widens our view to the nations. Psalm 67 asks God to bless His people so that His saving power will be known throughout the earth. Psalm 69 anticipates the rejection and suffering Jesus endured (John 2:17; 15:25), reminding us of the cost of that salvation. Finally, Psalm 72 prays for a king who rules with justice, rescues the needy, and brings blessing to all nations — carrying forward God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:18). Its vision reaches beyond Solomon to Jesus, the greater Son of David, whose reign will never end. As we read, ask the Spirit to help us trust Him in our troubles, seek His mercy for our sins, and rejoice that His salvation reaches people from every nation. He is the Royal Bridegroom, the Ransom from Death, and the King of All Nations.
Let’s dive in together and see JESUS in Book II of the Psalms!
November 4 — Psalm 42 Overwhelmed by sorrow, the psalmist thirsts for God, remembers His steadfast love, and repeatedly calls his downcast soul to hope in Him.
November 5 — Psalm 43 The psalmist asks God to vindicate him and sent His light and truth to lead him home, where he will worship God, his exceeding joy.
November 6 — Psalm 44 Remembering God’s past victories, His people lament present defeat and plead for help, yet in Christ no suffering can separate from God’s love.
November 7 — Psalm 45 A royal wedding celebrates the anointed king and his bride, looking beyond David’s sons to Jesus, the eternal Bridegroom who endures forever.
November 8 — Psalm 46 Though creation trembles and nations rage, God remains His people’s refuge and fortress, dwelling among them and exalted throughout the earth.
November 9 — Psalm 49 No wealth can ransom life from death, but God redeems His people to Himself, pointing to Jesus, who gave His life as our sufficient ransom.
November 10 — Psalm 50 God summons His people to judgment, rejecting empty sacrifice and calling them to worship, obedience, and dependence upon Him in trouble.
November 11 — Psalm 51 Confronted with his sin, David casts himself on God’s mercy, seeking forgiveness and cleansing and a new heart only God can create.
November 12 — Psalm 61 From the ends of the earth, David asks God to lead him to the higher Rock and preserve the King’s throne forever, fulfilled in the reign of King Jesus.
November 13 — Psalm 65 God hears prayer, atones for sin, and blesses the earth with abundance, drawing all peoples to praise Him as the hope of the whole world.
November 14 — Psalm 67 God’s people ask Him to shine His blessing among them so His saving ways will be known and praised with joy by every nation.
November 15 — Psalm 68 David celebrates God’s triumphant march from Sinai to Zion and calls every kingdom to praise Him, anticipating the risen Christ’s ascension.
November 16 — Psalm 69 David’s unjust suffering, zeal for God’s house, and bitter drink point to Jesus, who endured rejection and the cross before gathering His own.
November 17 — Psalm 72 Solomon prays for a righteous King who defends the needy, rules to the ends of the earth, and brings blessing to every nation — King Jesus.
1 Proverbs poetically personifies wisdom as a woman calling people to fear the Lord and live according to God’s order. Proverbs 8 does not teach that God’s wisdom — or Jesus — is a created being, nor should every detail be treated as a direct description of Christ. The New Testament nevertheless reveals Jesus as “the wisdom of God” and the eternal One through whom all things were made (John 1:1–3, 1 Corinthians 1:24, Colossians 1:15–17).
The Fear of the LORD, the Path of Life, and the Wisdom of God
The book of Proverbs teaches us to live wisely in the world God made. Much of its instruction comes from Solomon, the son of David whom God blessed with extraordinary wisdom, alongside sayings from other wise teachers. Its wisdom reaches into everyday life — our words, work, friendships, families, and desires — and begins with the fear of the LORD (Proverbs 1:7).
To fear the LORD is to take Him seriously, humbly receiving His instruction and submitting our lives to His authority. Wisdom involves learning to recognize and follow His ways, while foolishness resists His correction. The opening nine chapters prepare us for the shorter sayings that follow, urging us to seek wisdom and warning us about the cost of refusing it. Throughout the book, we must read these sayings as wisdom for life under God’s rule. They describe how He ordinarily orders life, while Job and Ecclesiastes remind us that faithful living does not guarantee immediate prosperity or freedom from suffering.
Proverbs Section I Overview
Our first readings bring us into a father’s instruction to his son and wisdom’s invitation to all who will listen. Proverbs 1 warns against joining sinners in their pursuit of dishonest gain and calls us to respond to correction. Proverbs 3 teaches us to trust in the LORD with our whole hearts rather than lean on our own understanding, receiving even His discipline as an expression of fatherly love. Proverbs 4 describes two paths and urges us to guard our hearts, recognizing that our desires shape the direction of our lives. Proverbs 5 brings that instruction into marriage, exposing the ruin of adultery and encouraging faithful delight in one’s spouse. These chapters show us that wisdom concerns both the heart and what flows from it. Proverbs 9 gathers the choice before us into two competing invitations: wisdom offers a feast that leads to life, while folly offers stolen pleasures that lead to death. We are called to consider whose voice we are following and where that path will take us.
The scarlet thread leads us toward Jesus, whom the New Testament reveals as the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30). In Proverbs 8, wisdom is poetically portrayed as a woman calling people to receive instruction, with her place alongside God in creation showing how deeply wisdom belongs to His ordering of the world; this personification should not be read as a direct description of Jesus in every detail or as teaching that He was created. He is the eternal Son through whom all things were made (John 1:1-3). Solomon himself failed to live faithfully by the wisdom he taught, deepening our need for the One greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). Jesus perfectly embodies God’s wisdom, and through His death and resurrection, saves sinners who have walked in folly. In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).
As we read, ask the Spirit to help us receive correction, turn from the paths of sin, and trust Jesus with every part of our lives. Wisdom’s invitation calls us to more than knowing the right answers — it calls us to walk with the LORD who gives life.
Let’s dive in together and see JESUS in the first section of Proverbs!
October 29 — Proverbs 1 Proverbs introduces wisdom as skill for godly living rooted in the fear of the LORD, warning against sinners and calling us to receive instruction.
October 30 — Proverbs 3 The wise trust the LORD with all their heart, receive His loving discipline, treasure wisdom above riches, and practice love toward others.
October 31 — Proverbs 4 A father urges his children to prize wisdom, avoid the way of wickedness, guard their hearts, and keep their whole lives on the path of righteousness.
November 1 — Proverbs 5 A father warns that adultery’s seductive path ends in ruin and death, calling his son to covenant faithfulness and joyful delight in his own wife.
November 2 — Proverbs 8 1 David moves from cries of “How long?” to confident praise, trusting God’s steadfast love and faithfulness while deliverance still seems distant.
November 3 — Proverbs 9 Wisdom and Folly offer rival feasts leading to life or death; those who fear the LORD choose wisdom’s table, pointing to Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Continue in the See JESUS in the Old Testament readings with Book II of the Psalms!
1 Proverbs poetically personifies wisdom as a woman calling people to fear the Lord and live according to God’s order. Proverbs 8 does not teach that God’s wisdom — or Jesus — is a created being, nor should every detail be treated as a direct description of Christ. The New Testament nevertheless reveals Jesus as “the wisdom of God” and the eternal One through whom all things were made (John 1:1–3, 1 Corinthians 1:24, Colossians 1:15–17).
The Anointed Son, the Suffering Savior, and the King of Glory
The book of Psalms gives us words to bring before God in every season of life. There are songs of joy and thanksgiving, laments and cries for help, confessions of sin, and prayers offered when God seems far away. Written by David and other authors across generations of Israel’s history, these 150 Spirit-breathed and inspired songs teach God’s people to pray and worship together. They also carry the Story forward that we have been following: the God who creates, makes promises, delivers His people, and remains faithful even when they are not. In the Psalms, we hear God’s people responding to who He is and what He has done. Their words to God are also His Word to us, teaching us to know Him, trust Him, and bring our hearts before Him in worship.
Because the Psalms are poetry, we need to pay attention to how they communicate. Their writers use figurative language, pictures, comparisons, and lines that repeat or develop a thought to help us understand and feel what they are saying. When David calls God his rock or his shepherd, that imagery helps us see something of God’s strength and care. When a psalmist asks how long suffering will continue, we hear the prayer of someone learning to trust God in the middle of it. The Psalms give us room to grieve, confess, rejoice, and wait. They also shape those responses through the truth of who God is. Even their prayers for judgment teach us to entrust justice to Him rather than take revenge ourselves.
The Psalter — another name for the book of Psalms — is divided into five books: Book I (Psalms 1-41), Book II (42-72), Book III (73-89), Book IV (90-106), and Book V (107-150). We will read selections from each, beginning with Book I.
Book I Overview
Psalms 1 and 2 introduce the whole collection by placing before us the way of the righteous and the reign of God’s anointed King. Together, they call us to delight in God’s Word and take refuge in His Son. Most of the remaining psalms in Book I are attributed to David. Through his prayers and songs, we hear the struggles of God’s appointed king and the faith of a man who needs God’s help. Enemies threaten him, sorrows weigh on him, and his own sin requires forgiveness. Again and again, he turns to the LORD as his refuge.
Here the scarlet thread leads us to JESUS, the greater Son of David. JESUS Himself taught that the Psalms spoke of Him and must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). He is the truly righteous One whose obedience never failed and the Anointed Son whose Kingdom cannot be overthrown. Our selected readings bring these connections into view: Psalm 2 anticipates His kingship, Psalm 16 points to His resurrection (Acts 2:25-32), and Psalm 22 gives words to the suffering He endured on the cross (Matthew 27:46). Psalm 23’s picture of the LORD caring for His sheep helps us understand JESUS as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). Psalm 24 celebrates the King of Glory, directing our worship toward the LORD whose greatness no earthly king can match.
As we read Book I, we will encounter both our need and God’s faithfulness: the foolishness of sin, the blessing of forgiveness, the pain of waiting, and the security of belonging to Him. These psalms invite us to trust the Savior who suffered for His people and rose victorious. Ask the Spirit to help you see JESUS in these songs and prayers — and, through His Word, to grow in the knowledge of Him.
The One we are seeking is the Anointed Son, the Suffering Savior, and the King of Glory.
Let’s dive in together and see JESUS in Book I of the Psalms!
October 9 — Psalm 1 JESUS perfectly embodies the blessed man who delights in God’s Word and flourishes like a watered tree, wholly unlike the wicked.
October 10 — Psalm 2 The nations rebel in vain against the LORD and His Anointed Son, JESUS, whose Kingdom reaches the ends of the earth and offers refuge.
October 11 — Psalm 3 Surrounded by enemies, David trusts the LORD as his shield and deliverer, confident that salvation belongs to God and asking His blessing.
October 12 — Psalm 8 David praises the majesty of God, who crowns humanity with honor and dominion — fulfilled perfectly in the Son of Man who rules over all.
October 13 — Psalm 13 David moves from cries of “How long?” to confident praise, trusting God’s steadfast love and faithfulness while deliverance still seems distant.
October 14 — Psalm 14 David laments humanity’s corruption and the oppression of God’s people yet hopes for salvation, fulfilled in JESUS, who restores His people.
October 15 — Psalm 16 David delights in the LORD as his portion and refuge, looking beyond death to the resurrection of JESUS and everlasting joy in God’s presence.
October 16 — Psalm 19 Creation declares God’s glory, His perfect Word revives and guides, and David asks the LORD, his Rock and Redeemer, to cleanse and guard from sin.
October 17 — Psalm 22 David’s cry of suffering points to Jesus’s crucifixion, while his answered prayer anticipates the risen King’s praise among all people.
October 18 — Psalm 23 David trusts the LORD as his Shepherd, pointing to JESUS, the Good Shepherd whose presence leads His people safely home forever.
October 19 — Psalm 24 The earth belongs to the LORD, and only one with cleans hands may ascend His holy hill — fulfilled by JESUS, the victorious King of Glory.
October 20 — Psalm 27 David seeks the LORD as his light and salvation, desiring His presence above all and waiting to see His goodness despite surrounding enemies.
October 21 — Psalm 31 In deep distress, David entrusts his life and times to the LORD — words JESUS fulfills as He commits His spirit to the Father on the cross.
October 22 — Psalm 32 David celebrates the blessing of forgiven sin, showing that honest confession brings release from guilt and pointing to justification by faith in Christ.
October 23 — Psalm 34 David invites the afflicted to taste the LORD’s goodness and seek refuge in Him, while the righteous sufferer’s unbroken bones point forward to JESUS.
October 24 — Psalm 351 Falsely accused and hated without cause, David asks the LORD to vindicate Him, foreshadowing JESUS, the righteous Sufferer opposed to the world.
October 25 — Psalm 36 David contrasts the godless way of the wicked with the LORD’s immeasurable steadfast love, under whose wings His people find refuge and life.
October 26 — Psalm 37 David calls the righteous to trust, delight in, and wait for the LORD rather than envy evildoers; JESUS promises the meek will inherit the earth.
October 27 — Psalm 40 David praises God for lifting him from the pit, while his obedience points to JESUS, who came to do God’s will as the perfect sacrifice.
October 28 — Psalm 41 Sick, sinful, and betrayed by a close friend, David seeks God’s mercy and restoration, foreshadowing the betrayal Jesus would endure.
1 Imprecatory psalms ask God to judge evil and defend His people. They do not authorize personal vengeance but place justice in God’s hands (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19). Christians may pray for evil to end, for enemies to repent, and for Christ’s righteous Kingdom to come, remembering that we escape judgment only through His mercy.
The Righteous Sufferer, the Living Redeemer, and the Wisdom of God
The book of Job wrestles with one of the hardest questions of life: how should we understand suffering when we cannot see what God is doing?
Job is introduced as a righteous and faithful man, yet he suffers devastating loss without knowing the heavenly events behind it. His friends insist that suffering must be the direct result of personal sin, but the book shows how inadequate that explanation can be. Job’s anguish is real, his questions are honest, and his suffering is not neatly explained. Instead, we are taught that our view is limited while God’s wisdom is perfect, calling us to trust Him even when we cannot understand His purposes.
Job’s longing also points forward to Jesus. In his suffering, Job cries out for someone who could stand between himself and God (Job 9:33), speaks of a witness in heaven (Job 16:19), and finally declares, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). Job didn’t yet possess the full revelation of Christ, but his hope for an advocate, vindicator, and living Redeemer finds its fulfillment in Him nonetheless. Jesus is truly the righteous sufferer, the One who suffered not for His own sin but for ours, and His resurrection gives firm foundation to Job’s hope that death would not have the final word. In Jesus, we see that God’s wisdom and saving purposes reach far beyond what human eyes can see.
While not every chapter of Job is included, these readings have been carefully chosen to highlight the Righteous Sufferer, the Living Redeemer, and the Wisdom of God. You’ll see Job’s faith tested (chs. 1-2), his grief and debates with his friends (chs. 3-4, 9, 14, 16, 22-23), his confession of a living Redeemer (ch. 19), his search for true wisdom (ch. 28), and his final defense (ch. 31). Elihu’s speeches then begin to redirect attention toward God’s greatness (chs. 32-33, 37) before the LORD Himself answers from the whirlwind (chs. 38-41). Job receives no simple explanation for all that happened; instead, he encounters the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God and responds in humility and trust (ch. 42). The book leaves us not with every question answered — nor does it set out to do that, but we end with a clearer view of the God who is worthy of faith even in suffering and with hope in the Redeemer who lives.
Let’s dive in together and see JESUS in Job!
September 19 — Job 1 God permits Satan to test Job, who loses his children, servants, and possessi9ons yet worships the LORD, trusting Him amid overwhelming grief.
September 20 — Job 2 Job holds fast his integrity through bodily affliction, receiving both good and adversity from GOD as his friends come to mourn with him.
September 21 — Job 3 Job gives voice to the darkness of deep suffering, lamenting the day of his birth and longing for the rest he cannot find in life.
September 22 — Job 4 Eliphaz assumes Job’s suffering must prove hidden sin, a mistaken judgment that earthly circumstance always reveals a person’s spiritual standing.
September 23 — Job 9 Unable to contend with the Almighty, Job longs for an arbitrator to plead his case, anticipating Jesus, the one Mediator between GOD and man.
September 24 — Job 14 Job laments the brevity of human life and longs for renewal beyond death, anticipating the resurrection secured by Jesus for all who belong to Him.
September 25 — Job 16 Abandoned and falsely accused, Job looks beyond his miserable comforters to a witness in heaven, anticipating Jesus who intercedes for sufferers.
September 26 — Job 19 Rejected by those closest to him, Job declares that his living Redeemer will vindicate him and that even after death he will see GOD.
September 27 — Job 22 Eliphaz falsely accuses Job of wickedness and urges him to repent, unaware that he himself will need Job’s intercession and GOD’s mercy.
September 28 — Job 23 Unable to find GOD or understand His purposes, Job trusts that He knows his way and will bring him through suffering like refined gold.
September 29 — Job 28 Though people uncover earth’s treasures, true wisdom belongs to GOD, is found ultimately in Jesus, and teaches us to fear Him and turn from evil.
September 30 — Job 31 Job concludes his defense by recounting a life of integrity before GOD and asks Him to hear the charges against him and answer.
October 1 — Job 31 After Job’s friends fall silent, young Elihu speaks in anger, insisting that understanding comes from the Almighty rather than age.
October 2 — Job 33 Though he misrepresents Job, Elihu says GOD may use suffering to warn sinners and describes a mediator, anticipating Jesus’s saving work.
October 3 — Job 37 Elihu points to the storm as a display of GOD’s awesome majesty, calling Job to consider His perfect knowledge, power, justice, and care.
October 4 — Job 38 The LORD answers Job from the whirlwind and questions him about creation, revealing that His sovereign rule is beyond human understanding.
October 5 — Job 39 GOD displays His wisdom and power through the wild creatures He governs and sustains, showing Job that all creation remains under His care.
October 6 — Job 40 Job humbly pledges silence, but the LORD continues, challenging his understanding of justice and displaying His power through Behemoth.
October 7 — Job 41 GOD describes the untamable Leviathan, showing that no creature stands beyond His rule and pointing toward Jesus’s final victory over Satan.
October 8 — Job 42 Job repents before GOD, is vindicated before his friends, intercedes for them, and receives restoration, pointing to the mercy of Jesus.
Continue in the See JESUS in the Old Testament readings with Book I of the Psalms!
The Son of David, the Greater Temple, and Hope Beyond Exile
For the majority of the See JESUS in the Old Testament reading plan, we can simply follow each book with chapters moving sequentially, but the history of Israel’s kings is recorded across 1-2 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles. These books often cover the same periods, just from different angles. So, for this portion of Part II, the readings will move chronologically across these four books of the Bible.
Kings & Chronicles traces Israel’s monarchy from the final days of David through Solomon, the divided kingdom, the fall of Israel, the fall of Judah, and the exile. Read together, they give us two complementary perspectives on the same history. 1-2 Kings emphasizes covenant faithfulness, prophetic warning, and the judgment that comes when kings and people repeatedly turn from the LORD. 1-2 Chronicles looks back on much of that same history with special attention to David’s line, the temple, worship, repentance, and GOD’s continuing promises. Across both, one truth becomes increasingly clear: even the best earthly kings are not enough. Israel needs a righteous Son of David who will faithfully rule GOD’s people and never fail.
That hope points directly to JESUS. The covenant GOD made with David promises an enduring royal line, and throughout these books the Davidic dynasty is preserved even through rebellion, judgment, and exile. Solomon builds the temple and GOD’s glory fills it, but the temple is later defiled and ultimately destroyed. Yet the temple itself points beyond the building to the greater reality of GOD dwelling with His people, fulfilled in JESUS, the true and greater Temple. The failures of Solomon and the kings who follow also sharpen the longing for the greater Son of David — the King of kings who perfectly obeys, reigns forever, and brings the blessing GOD promised to His people and the nations.
These readings move chronologically through that story to highlight the Son of David, the Greater Temple, and Hope Beyond Exile. You’ll see David prepare for the temple and Solomon build it; Solomon’s wisdom, prosperity, and eventual failure; the kingdom divide; prophets like Elijah and Elisha confront idolatry; faithful kings such as Hezekiah and Josiah lead reform; and persistent rebellion against GOD bring first Israel and then Judah into exile. Yet exile is not the end. 2 Kings closes with a surviving heir of David, and 2 Chronicles closes with Cyrus’s decree allowing the people to return and rebuild the temple. The kingdom is broken, the temple is gone, and the people are scattered — but GOD’s promises remain.
The story leaves us looking ahead to JESUS, the true Son of David, the greater Temple, and the King whose Kingdom will never end.
Let’s dive in together and see JESUS in 1-2 Chronicles and 1-2 Kings!
August 13 — 1 Chronicles 1 The genealogy from Adam sets Israel’s story within GOD’s larger plan for all humanity.
August 14 — 1 Chronicles 2 The genealogy narrows to Judah and David’s family line, tracing the promise toward the King GOD would raise up for His people.
August 15 — 1 Chronicles 6 The genealogy of Levi traces the priestly line and temple servants, showing the importance of worship and sacrifice among GOD’s people.
August 16 — 1 Chronicles 22 David prepares Solomon to build the temple, pointing ahead to the greater Son of David who will bring GOD’s presence to His people.
August 17 — 1 Chronicles 28 David charges Solomon to build the temple according to the LORD’s plan, preparing for the place bearing GOD’s name and presence.
August 18 — 1 Chronicles 29 David and the people give willingly for the temple, praising the LORD as the true King whose Kingdom and glory belong to Him forever.
August 19 — 1 Kings 1 Solomon is anointed king as David’s successor, showing the LORD preserving the throne through the son of David He had chosen.
August 20 — 1 Kings 2 David charges Solomon to walk in the LORD’s ways, and Solomon’s kingdom is established as judgment and justice come to David’s house.
August 21 — 1 Kings 3 Solomon asks the LORD for wisdom to rule His people, showing both the promise of David’s son and the need for a King whose wisdom is perfect.
August 22 — 1 Kings 4 Solomon’s kingdom enjoys peace and abundance, giving a glimpse of the blessing GOD’s people long for under the Son of David’s reign.
August 23 — 1 Kings 6 Solomon builds the temple in Jerusalem, preparing a dwelling place for the name and presence of the LORD among His people.
August 24 — 1 Kings 8 Solomon dedicates the temple with prayer and sacrifice, asking the LORD to hear, forgive, and dwell with HIs people according to His covenant.
August 25 — 2 Chronicles 7 The LORD fills the temple with His glory and calls His people to repentance, promising mercy while warning that unfaithfulness will bring judgment.
August 26 — 1 Kings 10 Solomon’s wisdom, wealth, and glory draw the nations to Jerusalem, giving a glimpse of the Kingdom blessing under the Son of David.
August 27 — 1 Kings 11 Solomon turns from the LORD to worship other gods, and the kingdom fractures because even the wisest king cannot keep the covenant.
August 28 — 1 Kings 12 The kingdom divides between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, showing the ruin that comes when GOD’s people reject Him and turn to false worship.
August 29 — 1 Kings 17 God provides for Elijah, the widow, and her son during the famine, showing His power to preserve life when His people have turned from Him.
August 30 — 1 Kings 18 GOD answers Elijah by fire on Mt. Carmel, exposing the emptiness of Baal and calling His people back to Himself.
August 31 — 1 Kings 19 GOD meets Elijah in his fear and weariness, sustaining him and reminding him that His work continues even when His servant feels alone.
September 1 — 1 Kings 21 Ahab and Jezebel’s murder of Naboth exposes the injustice of Israel’s corrupt kings, bringing the LORD’s judgment against their house.
September 2 — 2 Kings 2 The LORD takes Elijah up and confirms Elisha as his successor, showing that His Word and work continue through the servant He appoints.
September 3 — 2 Kings 4 GOD works through Elisha to provide for the needy, give life to the barren, and raise up the dead, displaying His mercy and power in times of need.
September 4 — 2 Kings 5 GOD heals Naaman the Syrian through Elisha, showing grace to an outsider who humbly receives His Word by faith.
September 5 — 2 Kings 13 Even after Elisha’s death, GOD shows mercy to Israel and preserves them because of HIs covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
September 6 — 2 Kings 17 Israel is carried into exile because they persistently reject the LORD, showing the ruin that comes from generations of idolatry and unbelief.
September 7 — 2 Chronicles 20 The LORD delivers Judah as Jehoshaphat leads the people to seek Him in prayer and praise, showing that the battle belongs to the LORD.
September 8 — 2 Chronicles 23 The LORD preserves the line of David through Joash and restores him to the throne, showing His faithfulness to keep His covenant promises.
September 9 — 2 Kings 18 Hezekiah trusts the LORD and leads Judah in faithfulness, standing as one of David’s better sons while pointing beyond himself to a greater King.
September 10 — 2 Kings 19 The LORD answers Hezekiah’s prayer and delivers Jerusalem from Assyria, showing that salvation belongs to Him and His Word will not fail.
September 11 — 2 Chronicles 29 Hezekiah reopens the temple and restores worship, calling Judah back to the LORD through cleansing, sacrifice, and praise.
September 12 — 2 Chronicles 30 Hezekiah calls all Israel and Judah to keep the Passover, inviting people to return to the LORD who is gracious and merciful.
September 13 — 2 Chronicles 33 Manasseh’s wickedness brings judgment, but his repentance shows the mercy of the LORD to humble sinners who turn back to Him.
September 14 — 2 Kings 22 Josiah hears the book of the Law and humbles himself before the LORD, showing the power of GOD’s Word to expose sin and call His people back.
September 15 — 2 Kings 23 Josiah leads Judah in covenant renewal and reform, removing idols and restoring the Passover as he seeks to turn the people back to the LORD.
September 16 — 2 Kings 24 Judah’s final kings return to rebellion as Babylon rises against Jerusalem, showing that GOD keeps His promises of judgment against unfaithfulness.
September 17 — 2 Kings 25 Jerusalem falls, the temple is destroyed, and Judah is carried into exile, showing the devastating judgment brought by covenant unfaithfulness.
September 18 — 2 Chronicles 36 Judah’s exile comes after generations of rejecting the LORD’s Word, yet Cyrus’s decree opens a door of hope beyond judgment.
The Forever King, Covenant Kindness, and the Altar of Mercy
2 Samuel records the reign of David, God’s chosen king, and continues the story begun in 1 Samuel (see our overview of 1 Samuel). Under David’s rule, Israel is united, Jerusalem becomes the nation’s capital, and God establishes His covenant with David, promising that his throne and kingdom would endure forever. Though David proves to be a faithful king in many ways, his grievous sin with Bathsheba reminds us that even Israel’s greatest king cannot perfectly fulfill God’s purposes. Yet God’s covenant stands, pointing beyond David to Jesus Christ, the greater Son of David, whose Kingdom truly will never end.
These readings have been carefully chosen. You’ll see the Forever King in David’s reign (chs. 1, 5-8) and especially in God’s covenant promse (ch. 7), which ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus. You’ll see Covenant Kindness in David’s gracious welcome of Mephibosheth (ch. 9), a beautiful picture of mercy extended because of a covenant. Finally, you’ll see the Altar of Mercy in the closing chapter (ch. 24), where judgment is stopped through sacrifice on Araunah’s threshing floor — the very place the temple would later stand. Together, these readings show that while David was a great king, he was only a shadow of the greater King to come. Jesus Christ is the true Son of David, whose everlasting Kingdom, perfect covenant faithfulness, and once-for-all faithfulness accomplish forever what David’s reign could only foreshadow.
Let’s dive in together and see Jesus in 2 Samuel!
August 1 — ch. 1 David mourns Saul and Jonathan, showing honor even in grief as the kingdom begins to pass to the LORD’s anointed.
August 2 — ch. 5 David is anointed king over all Israel and establishes Jerusalem, as the LORD exalts him and gives His people victory through him.
August 3 — ch. 6 David brings the ark to Jerusalem with exuberant joy, rejoicing before the LORD as God’s presence comes near His people.
August 4 — ch. 7 God promises David a lasting kingdom and a Son whose throne will be established forever, pointing to Jesus, the forever King from David’s line.
August 5 — ch. 8 The LORD gives David victory over his enemies and establishes his reign, showing the strength and justice of the kingdom God promised.
August 6 — ch. 9 David shows covenant kindness to Mephibosheth, welcoming the helpless son of Jonathan to his table like one of his own sons.
August 7 — ch. 11 David’s sin against Bathsheba and Uriah exposes the failure even of Israel’s greatest king and the need for a righteous Son of David.
August 8 — ch. 12 God confronts David’s sin through Nathan, showing both the seriousness of sin and the mercy of God toward the repentant.
August 9 — ch. 15 Absolam steals the hearts of Israel and drives David from Jerusalem, showing the sorrow and division brought by sin within the king’s house.
August 10 — ch. 22 David praises the LORD as his rock, refuge, and deliverer, looking to the God who saves His king and shows steadfast love to His anointed.
August 11 — 23:1-7 David’s final words look ahead to a righteous ruler whose reign will be like morning light, pointing to Jesus, the true King from David’s line.
August 12 — ch. 24 David’s sin brings judgment on Israel, but God shows mercy at the altar, pointing to the need for sacrifice where wrath is turned away.
Continue in the See JESUS in the Old Testament readings as we the books of 1-2 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles!
The Promised Anointed, the Rejected King, and the Champion Who Saves
1 Samuel records Israel’s transition from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy. God raises Samuel up as prophet, priest, and judge to lead His people during a time of spiritual decline. When Israel demands a king “like all the nations”, they reject the LORD as their true King. God grants their request by giving them Saul, but Saul’s repeated disobedience reveals that Israel’s greatest need is not merely a human king but one who will faithfully submit to God’s Word. Throughout the book, God sovereignly directs ordinary events and extraordinary moments alike to accomplish His purposes and prepare the way for His chosen king.
1 Samuel repeatedly points us to Jesus Christ. Hannah’s song anticipates the LORD’s anointed before David takes the throne (1 Samuel 2:10). Samuel anoints David, the man after God’s own heart, while Saul — the rejected king — demonstrates the tragic consequences of refusing God’s commands. David’s victory over Goliath is more than a story of courage; as Israel’s representative champion, he wins a victory the people could not achieve for themselves, foreshadowing Jesus defeating sin and death on behalf of His people. David’s patient refusal to seize Saul’s throne also reminds us that God’s Kingdom advances according to God’s timing and ways.
While not every chapter of 1 Samuel is included, these readings have been carefully chosen to highlight the Promised Anointed, the Rejected King, and the Champion Who Saves. You’ll follow Samuel’s miraculous birth and faithful ministry (chs. 1-7), Israels’ demand for a king (ch. 8), Saul’s rise and rejection (chs. 13, 15), David’s anointing and victory over Goliath (chs. 16-17), his covenant friendship with Jonathan (ch. 20), his years as a faithful fugitive (chs. 22, 24, 30), and the death of Saul (ch. 31). As 1 Samuel closes, David has been anointed but has not yet taken the throne. God has made His choice, and the stage is set for the reign of His chosen king. Even so, David is only a shadow of the greater Anointed One to come — Jesus Christ, the perfect King and Champion who saves His people and whose Kingdom will never end.
Let’s dive in together and see Jesus in 1 Samuel!
July 14 — ch. 1 God hears Hannah’s prayer and gives her Samuel, preparing to raise up a prophet who will lead Israel during a time of spiritual need.
July 15 — ch. 2 Hannah praises the LORD who brings down the proud and raises up the humble, looking ahead to His anointed King.
July 16 — ch. 3 God calls Samuel as His prophet, raising up a faithful voice in a time when His Word was rare.
July 17 — ch. 4 Israel treats the ark like a weapon instead of trusting the LORD, and God allows their defeat to show His presence cannot be manipulated.
July 18 — ch. 5 God humbles Dagon and afflicts the Philistines, showing that He alone is the living God and no idol can stand before Him.
July 19 — ch. 6 The Philistines return the ark with guilt offerings, confessing the LORD’s power even as Israel must learn to honor Him as holy.
July 20 — ch. 7 God delivers Israel from the Philistines as Samuel leads them in repentance and prayer, showing that victory comes by returning to the LORD.
July 21 — ch. 8 Israel rejects the LORD as King by demanding a king like the nations, revealing their need for a better King than the one they ask for.
July 22 — ch. 13 Saul disobeys the LORD and loses his dynasty before it began, showing that Israel needs a king whose heart fully belongs to God.
July 23 — ch. 15 Saul’s rebellion exposes his rejected kingship, showing that outward obedience cannot replace a heart submitted to the LORD.
July 24 — ch. 16 God chooses David and anoints him as king, showing that the LORD looks on the heart and provides the ruler His people truly need.
July 25 — ch. 17 David defeats Goliath as Israel’s champion, pointing to Jesus, the greater Champion who saves His people from the enemy they could not defeat.
July 26 — ch. 18 David rises in favor with the people while Saul grows jealous and fearful, showing the conflict between the LORD’s anointed and the rejected king.
July 27 — ch. 20 Jonathan shows covenant loyalty to David, protecting the LORD’s anointed even at great cost to himself.
July 28 — ch. 22 Saul’s violence against the priests exposes the corruption of his kingship, while David begins to gather the distressed and needy around him.
July 29 — ch. 24 David spares Saul’s life, trusting the LORD to judge between them rather than taking the kingdom into his own hand.
July 30 — ch. 30 God strengthens David in distress and uses him to recover what was lost, showing the LORD’s faithfulness to preserve His anointed.
July 31 — ch. 31 Saul dies in defeat, bring his rejected kingship to a tragic end and preparing the way for the king God had chosen.
Continue in the See JESUS in the Old Testament readings as we read the book of 2 Samuel!
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out. 2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. 3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His son’s name? Surely you know!
5 Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.[1]
Proverbs 30:1-5
Greetings Sojourners,
What a joy it is to get to write to you today and share a bit of testimony with you. I must admit that I find myself joyful today – as joyful as I am tired, which, as you will see, is quite a lot.
Let me begin by saying, “GOD is good!” He is good because that’s who He is (Psalm 34:8, Psalm 100:5, James 1:17), and His goodness is not contingent on whether or not I feel like He’s been particularly good to me in a given moment; He’s good – all the time! These past few weeks have given me the opportunity to reflect and look at God’s goodness as well as His consistency and character and how I have seen Him work and move in my life, and as I’m not particularly special, I can say with confidence that He can and will work in your life as well.
The passage we open with is one that always tickles me as much as it humbles me. So, before we hit the musings I have prepared, let’s meditate on the Word to set us off.
Firstly, we don’t really know who Agur son of Jakeh is, to whom Proverbs 30 is attributed. But as neither he nor the Lord saw fit to tell us much about him, we will look instead to the Lord he introduces us to.
Secondly, it’s okay if the way Proverbs 30 begins makes you chuckle a bit. Lord willing, we will all grow up enough to be able to laugh at our own mistakes and ignorance. I’ve surely been weary, and I’ve definitely been “weary” and “worn out” because of my own stupidity. So, when Agur declares both his weariness and that he is surely “too stupid to be a man” and that he has “not the understanding of a man,” that is actually a good place to begin in wisdom. Sometimes people begin with their résumé, trying to prove why they are wise and why their wisdom should be heeded. Agur’s résumé is that he learned wisdom the hard way – through lessons bought rather than merely taught.
If you don’t think Proverbs 30 is particularly humorous, I would wager that you might be a young or thick-headed man or a woman who is having to deal with one or the other. I’m kidding – mostly. What I want you to see here is the basis for what comes next, namely, the way Agur’s words in the Old Testament point us to Christ.
He admits his ignorance and the weariness that comes from it. And he does so in order to show that what he knows of God, “the Holy One”, does not come from himself but that it has been revealed to him by God Himself. That’s an important distinction, and that leads us to our third point from Proverbs 30: God reveals Himself to man through His Word (Psalm 19:7-11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 1:1-2).
Look at the series of rhetorical questions that Agur asks and see how they build on the magnificent power of God, the mighty Creator who has graciously made Himself known to lowly folks like me and you and Agur. The beauty to me is how each of these rhetorical questions can, and ultimately should, be answered with a clear “the Lord JESUS”.
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? The Lord Jesus. Jesus Himself told Nicodemus in John 3:13 that “No one has ascended into heaven except He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man”, and He gave that information as part of the invitation to see Him lifted up, “that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life” (John 3:15).
Who has gathered the wind in His fists? The Lord Jesus – God Himself – is the only One with such power. The very same God who can measure “the waters in the hollow of His hand” (Isaiah 40:12) is He who “was pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5).
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? The Lord Jesus – the God who invented water – is the only one who can make it do what He commands (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:15-17, Hebrews 1:3). This is seen in Job’s reply to Bildad when he speaks of the might of God, who binds up the waters in His clouds and controls the boundaries of sea and sky (Job 26:8).
What is His name, and what is His son’s name?Surely you know! JESUS!
His name is Jesus, and that’s the beauty of making Himself known to us and offering salvation to all who trust in Him. It’s seen clearly in Proverbs 30:5: “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Every promise He makes is kept. Every prophecy He gives is fulfilled. He is who the Bible says He is, and we can trust Him, take refuge in Him, and know full well that He will take care of His own (John 10:27-30, Romans 8:38-39, 1 Peter 5:6-7).
That’s why Agur’s words are such a fitting place for me to begin. Weariness has a way of exposing how little we understand, but the Word of God lifts our eyes from our limits to the Lord who makes Himself known. That’s exactly what I’ve needed this past year: for the Word of God to lift my eyes from what I couldn’t understand to the God who has made Himself known and proved Himself faithful.
Ultimately, that’s what I want to talk about today – a testimony of the trustworthy God, not because my experiences prove Him trustworthy, but because He has told us who He is in His Word. What I share today does not add to the Word, but it does my heart good to look back and be able to say, “Look! Here is where Jesus shielded me! Here is where He proved Himself to be true and loved me!” If you don’t listen to a single word past here, you’ve lost nothing because His Word in Proverbs 30:1-5 is more than sufficient to point you to Him. What comes next is likely more for me than you anyway.
To segue into these musings, I’m going to, as my father-in-law says from time to time, “put a little English on it”. What I mean is that I want to set out with a clear thesis to keep me on track and, hopefully, help me muse more than ramble as I share about how God has cared for me over this past year (and ultimately over the course of my life).
So, let me begin where the Lord has so often shown me His goodness most clearly: my marriage.
Musing on Marriage
This may sound weird coming from a man, but I like romance. I enjoyed – and still do enjoy – pursuing and wooing Candice like I did when we were dating. I liked learning about her while we were dating and found it kind of exciting to get to chase after the woman whom I thought then was the most magnificent person I’d ever met. After 22+ years of pursuing her, I have found that she is indeed more than my 19-year-old brain could have fathomed at the time.
Over the years, the pursuit waned as, well, I got lazy and convinced myself that once I had married her, I had caught her. That’s true in a sense, but a lasting marriage doesn’t quite work like that. We were grown when we started out, true. But we’ve been growing and changing, individually and together. Sometimes these changes are for the better; other times, well, let’s just say they are changes.
Thankfully, God has let me realize, like Agur, that I’m too stupid to be a man. The wisdom I have doesn’t come from some sage source of me just being smart; it comes from the Lord being gracious enough to let me outlive my ignorance. I joke often when I preach or teach and marriage comes up that Candice had a stupid and lazy husband the first ten years she was married, and she has had a better husband for the second ten years – and she’s had the same husband the whole time. God convicted me of my ignorance and has allowed me to see the error of my ways, with Candice loving me enough to hold me accountable to the man she knew I was supposed to be. She paused long enough for me to catch up, and the pursuit is on. Lord willing, it will continue until death parts us.
This time last year, Candice had her hands full. She had been waiting on me hand and foot for about a week before I ever made it to the hospital last June. It was scary for me to find myself unable to walk or even feed myself, but it was probably scarier for her as every added thing she took on to do for me that I couldn’t do for myself likely looked like something she’d have to do for the long haul. The first post that I wrote on the subject, “Reflections on the Goodness of God from My Hospital Bed”, was actually our first collaboration – Candice typing and me looking over her shoulder to try and say what we were writing. I felt humiliated and emasculated at the time, but looking back, it was such a beautiful picture of the love Christ has for His bride, the Church, in that He is strong where we are weak and cares for His own selflessly because He loves her (Ephesians 5:25-32, 1 John 3:16-18).
Once I finally got home, I thought everything would magically fall back into the way things were, but that’s not how life works. Sometimes the way things were is simply in the past. I still needed help, and she was adamant that I would take the help whether I was smart enough to realize it or not. This is honestly the first time that I’ve thought about it, but as tired and scared as she was, I can’t remember a time when she complained about it. The strength I needed, she had, and that added strength came from the Lord – given to my wife, my helper, to love me and help me when I could not help myself (Genesis 2:18, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
Rather than focus solely on the past, I think it’s helpful for us to move forward to more recent times. Yes, there were new firsts – walking hand in hand without me needing to be guided, dancing without me having to hold on to her for support. Little by little, all those firsts became regular. The most recent memorable moment to muse on was actually a second rather than a first, though.
We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary on June 17. We already knew it wasn’t going to be our typical “go somewhere to eat and do date-stuff” kind of anniversary in Oxford or Jackson or Memphis. For our 10th anniversary, we flew out to Colorado, and it just wasn’t going to work out to do something like that this year. We snuck in some time while I worked in Jackson for a week, and we were planning on getting in a date when we went to Hattiesburg to see Keri at the end of drum major camp. But, as far as the actual anniversary went, it was going to be us and Xander – not because we couldn’t get someone to watch him but because I’d been away for a week and we were glad to spend that time with him.
The morning of our anniversary, I had an appointment and Candice had summer school. We had planned on the three of us going out to eat for lunch and then going to church later that evening since it was Wednesday. I had quite a surprise when I picked them up for lunch. For weeks, Candice had been secretly working on her wedding dress, and she was wearing it – the very same wedding dress from 20 years earlier – when I picked them up. One of my core memories is seeing her in that dress when the doors opened during our wedding, and I was transported back there. Rather than being trapped in the past, though, I was transfixed by the timeline in between – the tears, the laughter, the pain, the pleasure, the kids, the houses, the jobs, the life. Most surprisingly, she was worried I’d be embarrassed. Never. She’s my bride. We went to eat and then to the church for an impromptu vow renewal – no pomp or party, but a genuine renewal of the covenant we had made with each other. The difference was that we know now what we didn’t know then, and we still responded with “I do” – (special thanks to John and Sara Goldwater, Michael Curry, Sammy Carollo, and my best man and wingman, Xander, for helping us make that happen).
I understand more of Ephesians 5:32 than I did at 19 years old: “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” I understand the love Jesus has for His bride more because I’ve begun learning what it is to live for your bride rather than merely being willing to die for her. Candice’s care for me showed me love received, and this season has pressed me to consider more deeply what Christ-like love requires of me as her husband. I know what it is to be willing and eager to hold fast to your wife. And, in my weakness, I have also learned more of what it is to be the church: loved, served, held, and helped by Christ when I cannot help myself. I’ve learned the depths of love that I couldn’t know without relationship with Christ and without relationship with Candice.
I’ve found a good and excellent wife and obtained favor from the Lord (Proverbs 18:22, 31:10-12). I rejoice in the wife of my youth more today than I did 20 years ago (Proverbs 5:18-19). And I understand love more deeply than I ever could from romance alone because what the Lord can build and show in relationship is deeper than what we can manufacture on our own.
Marriage is deeper than romance, but that does not make romance less beautiful. It gives romance roots. It turns affection into faithfulness. It turns vows into a life. And, by the grace of God, it lets a husband look at his wife after twenty years and say with assurance, “The Lord has been good to me.”
And just as the Lord used marriage to remind me that love is deeper than romance, He used missions to remind me His work is bigger than my strength.
Musing on Missions
One of the things that bothered me the most about having to go into the hospital last summer is that I was missing a mission trip with our Christ Community youth to go to New Mexico and help a church with their VBS. When the swelling first started in my feet and joints, I was convinced that I would go to the doctor, get some medicine, and essentially walk it off in time for the mission trip. Actually, that’s the only thing that convinced me to go to the doctor in the first place, as I had a little over a week from the onset of symptoms to when we would leave on the trip. Needless to say, once I got admitted into the hospital, I was starting to think I wasn’t going to get to go – as I said, I’m too stupid to be a man, or in this case, just stupid enough.
The plan had been for the four of us to go, but no amount of convincing was going to make Candice go. She was determined to stay with me. So, we sent Keri with our church family to go farther away than she’d ever been from us. We watched Life360 doggedly – not because we didn’t trust the chaperones, whom we know love her as if she were their own, but because we simply weren’t there (although the amount of pictures Shonna and Sara sent of Keri made us feel like we were). Even those pictures were part of God’s gift of the church to us. We could send our daughter farther away than she’d ever been because we knew she wasn’t going alone. She was with family – not by our blood, but by the blood of Jesus (Mark 3:34-35, Ephesians 2:19, 1 John 3:14-18). Shonna and Sara sharing pictures with us did more than help us feel included; it reminded us that the Lord has given our kiddos spiritual aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters who love them because they love Him.
The first night they called during their worship time slayed me. Sara Goldwater FaceTimed, and I got to see all of my church kiddos and Keri one by one, and they had picked songs to sing that night for worship that they thought would minister to me. They were right. “Battle Belongs” reminded me that God is my fortress and mighty to save; “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)” reminded me that Jesus is my rock and foundation who will never fail; and “Because He Lives” reminded me who holds the future. I wept as I worshiped.
That night was one of the clearest reminders I’ve ever had that the church is a gift. I already knew that doctrinally. I had preached and taught that the church is the body of Christ, the family of God, brothers and sisters joined together in Jesus. But that night, it was clear. I wasn’t in the room (or even the same state) with them. I wasn’t useful to them in any way. I wasn’t leading or serving them. I was a thousand miles away in a hospital bed, weak and weeping, and the Lord used His people to carry me. Their voices became a mercy to me. Their love became a reminder that Candice and I weren’t alone. Jesus was with us, and one of the ways He made that plain was through His church (Galatians 6:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24-25). But as grateful as I was for that gift, I was still hurting.
The next night I was in my feelings – which honestly was understandable – and I asked to talk to John after their worship time. I laid out my struggles, and he gave me some tough, pastoral love by telling me that while I wasn’t on the mission I had planned to be on, I was still on mission. He also told me I needed to ask God to help me figure out how to join in with His mission where I was.
Praying with nurses and phlebotomists, preaching Sunday worship in the cafeteria of the rehab, and looking for ways to minister from a walker or wheelchair was definitely not the mission I had signed up for, but it was where God had me – and where He hadn’t sent anyone but me.
That was last summer’s mission field. This summer, by God’s grace, the mission field looked very different.
The past eight days have been spent with some of our Christ Community kiddos and adults on mission in South Dakota. And this year, by God’s grace, I got to go. We drove over 1,200 miles there over two days. We partnered with Redemption Church in Piedmont, South Dakota to do VBS/backyard Bible club in the mornings and soccer camp in the afternoons at a park near the church. It was beautiful to get to see our people serve the Lord.
Now, don’t get the illusion that I’m about to say that I was some vital part of this; I wasn’t. This past year has shown me clearly that I am not necessary for ministry or missions to happen; Jesus is. He equips those He sends for the mission they have. When I started in pastoral work at Christ Community, one of my goals was for me not to be in a position to be indispensable. I didn’t want there to be anything that couldn’t be done if I were to fall off the end of the earth. Well, for all intents and purposes, I might as well have last summer. No area where God has called me to serve at CCC went without. People stepped up and did the work by God’s grace and power. Just as the mission trip went on without me, so did our weekly worship gatherings, and what a beautiful thing to behold because Jesus is better than anything I’ve got to offer. That’s part of why the church is such a gift: the work doesn’t rise and fall on any one person, because Jesus Himself is the Head, and He gives gifts to His people for the building up of the body (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 12-27; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:11-16).
I even got to see a beautiful picture of love in the midst of the mission. I got to be the one to do the Bible teaching at the backyard Bible club, and during the second day, a chicken showed up. Now, that might not seem like a big deal to you, but let me tell you, it’s hard to be more interesting to kids than a chicken randomly walking up in the middle of town. The third day was the gospel emphasis where we wanted to make sure we were very clear with the kiddos about who Jesus is, what He has done, and how to be saved. I had semi-jokingly told the other adults that, if that chicken showed back up, I was going to take the kiddos over to a shade tree and teach the lesson Sermon-on-the-Mount-style and that I didn’t care which one of them got rid of it, but that they were to relocate it somehow if it showed back up.
And show up it did!
I led the children over to the tree, and my bride took a poster we had made for soccer camp with the Lord’s Prayer written on it and fought that chicken back the whole time I was teaching God’s Word to the kiddos. If you had told me 20 years ago that part of God’s mission or my wife’s love for me or for the Lord would involve beating a chicken back with the Lord’s Prayer, I would’ve lacked the scope or imagination to understand. But now I know!
One of the evenings of the mission trip, this became real to me in a powerful way. I got to come home from the hospital on June 25, 2025, after having been in there 18 days and 19 hours. Candice videoed me going from the car into the house that day, legs emaciated and wobbly with her afraid I was going to topple over and me afraid I wouldn’t make it up the steps and in the door. On June 25, 2026, I was walking up and down a trail in the shadow of Mt. Rushmore, tears filling my eyes at the goodness of God and a testimony of what He can do (“Hope in Jesus Does Not Put Us to Shame”).
That’s getting at the heart of missions anyway. It’s not about having the strongest people in the right places; it’s about a strong Savior sending weak people to tell other weak people where life, forgiveness, hope, and rescue can be found (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
No, I’m not necessary for any bit of God’s mission to be carried out. He is essential, and I’m an accessory. But praise be to God, He lets me participate. He doesn’t need me, but He wants me. And if He can use me in a hospital bed, a rehab cafeteria, a backyard Bible club, a soccer field, or even under a shade tree while my wife battles poultry with the Lord’s Prayer, then surely He can use whatever weakness, circumstance, or opportunity He places in front of any of us to point people to Jesus!
And that brings me to the thread running underneath all of these musings: my walk with Christ. Marriage and missions have both reminded me that Jesus is faithful, and this past year has helped me see anew that He has never left me, never forsaken me, and never wasted a step.
Wrapping Up by Musing on My Walk with Christ
When I was a kid, there were certain things that were always around my great-grandmother Grandma Simmons’s house. One of them was the “Footprints in the Sand” poem, which hung in several places. I’m not going to quote it here, but you probably know the gist. A person looks back over the course of their life and sees footprints in the sand. Sometimes there are two sets. Other times, there is only one set. When looking back, they cry out to God feeling as if those times with one set of footprints were Him abandoning them, but they find out that the Lord had never left them – those were the times He was carrying them.
I think about that poem differently the older I get. Part of that is because I remember Grandma Simmons’s testimony. She had lived long enough, struggled enough, prayed enough, and seen enough of the Lord’s kindness to consistently counsel her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that God had sustained her, cared for her, and taken care of her all the days of her life.
I don’t care if the footprints were side-by-side, if there was only one set because He was carrying me, or if, as John Goldwater says, there were drag marks where the Lord just took me and put me where He would have me. I am thankful that I can look back and see His footprints throughout my life. I am thankful that He cares for me. I am thankful that He has a plan for my life. And I am thankful that one day, when this life is over, the same feet I have followed will be the feet where I bow in worship (Deuteronomy 31:8, Psalm 37:23-24, Hebrews 13:5, Revelation 5:9-14).
That’s where I find myself right now in my walk with Christ. I’m trying to make sure I’m where He would have me to be, doing what He would have me to do, and pursuing Him above everything else – or at least striving to pursue Him above all else (“Thankful: Learning to Number Our Days”).
Back in 2015, I burned out and quit ministry because I let my identity get wrapped up in what I did – in being “Pastor Keith”. I don’t want to do that again. I don’t want to confuse calling with identity. I don’t want to confuse serving Jesus with being seen serving Jesus. I don’t want to wrap my identity up in ministry, writing, preaching, teaching, leading worship, or any other good thing Jesus lets me do.
Now, that does not make those callings unimportant. God has clearly called me to be a husband, father, brother, uncle, son, teacher, pastor, worship leader, and writer. I want to be faithful in all of those things. I want to be the husband God has called me to be for Candice and the daddy Keri and Xander need. I want to be a pastor among the flock God has called me to serve. I want to disciple well. I want to work at my job in a way that honors Him. I want to write and teach and sing and serve in ways that point people consistently to Jesus.
There’s a quote often attributed to William Carey that hits me hard: “I’m not afraid of failure; I’m afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.” I don’t want to build a busy life, or even a visibly fruitful ministry life, only to realize that I succeeded at things Jesus wasn’t calling me to chase. I don’t want to succeed at the wrong things. I don’t want to gain attention and lose faithfulness. I don’t want to be impressive; I want to be faithful to my Lord.
So, I find myself at a crossroads of sorts. Is God calling me somewhere else? Is He calling me to dig in where I am? I don’t know. And, honestly, it’s okay that I don’t know yet.
I know Him.
I know His Word is true. I know He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
I know He is good when I am weak. I know marriage is deeper than romance. I know His mission is bigger than my strength.
I know the church is a gift — not a building, not a program, not a place for religious spectators, but a blood-bought family where burdens are borne, prayers are lifted, children are loved, the gospel is preached, and weak saints are carried by God’s grace (“Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory”).
I know hope in Jesus doesn’t fail, even while I’m still learning to walk forward.
Right now, I’m leaning into Him. I’m digging into His Word, not merely to study to preach or teach, but to spend time with Him. I’m seeking His strength to be faithful in the life He has given me, even while I’m still learning what that looks like.
And because this is not merely my story, maybe that is the challenge for you, too, dear Sojourner.
Are you pursuing Christ, or only the life you hope He will bless? Are you seeking His Kingdom, or asking Him to strengthen your own? Are you resting in your identity in Jesus, or trying to build one out of your roles, productivity, ministry, family, reputation, or success?
Are you where He would have you to be? Are you doing what He would have you to do?
I don’t know what the next year holds. A year ago, I couldn’t have imagined much of what this year would bring. But I know the One who holds it. I know His name. I know His Son’s name. Surely you know….
His name is Jesus!
He has carried me, corrected me, humbled me, strengthened me, and loved me. He has shown me His goodness in hospital rooms, in my marriage, through His church, carrying out His mission, in weakness, in recovery, and in all the steps in between. And if He has taught me anything through this past year, it is this: He is worthy, He is faithful, and He is enough.
The Redeemer, the Restored Inheritance, and the Coming King
The book of Ruth takes place during the dark days of the judges, yet it tells a remarkably hopeful story of God’s providence and covenant kindness. After famine, loss, and tragedy leave Naomi and Ruth seemingly without hope, God quietly works through ordinary people and ordinary events to accomplish His purposes. Unlike many books of the Old Testament, Ruth contains no dramatic miracles or prophetic visions. Instead, it reveals how God’s sovereign hand is often at work behind the scenes, guiding the lives of His people and showing His steadfast love through their faithfulness to one another.
At the heart of the story is redemption. Ruth, a Moabite widow, finds refuge among God’s people and is redeemed by Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer. His willingness to act on behalf of Ruth and Naomi restores what had been lost and secures a future they could not provide for themselves. In this way, Boaz points beyond himself to Jesus, the greater Redeemer, who rescues His people and brings them into the family of God. Throughout the book, the covenant kindness (Hebrew – chesed) shown by Ruth and Boaz reflects the steadfast love and mercy of God Himself, a love ultimately displayed in its fullness through Jesus.
Because we will be reading the whole book, you will follow the story from beginning to end. You’ll see the Redeemer in Boaz’s gracious work on behalf of Ruth and Naomi, the Restored Inheritance in God’s reversal of their loss and emptiness, and the Coming King in the genealogy that concludes the book. Set immediately after Judges, Ruth provides a hopeful answer to the chaos of those days, tracing the line that leads to King David — and ultimately to JESUS, the Son of David, through whom God’s promise to bless all nations is fulfilled. Ruth herself, like Rahab before her, stands in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), reminding us that God’s redeeming grace extends to people from every nation who trust and have faith in Him.
Let’s dive in together and see Jesus in Ruth!
July 10 — ch. 1 Naomi returns to Bethlehem in grief and emptiness, while Ruth clings to her and takes refuge among the people of the LORD.
July 11 — ch. 2 God provides for Ruth and Naomi through Boaz, a worthy man whose kindness gives them hope in their time of need.
July 12 — ch. 3 Ruth seeks refuge through Boaz as her redeemer, trusting him to act with covenant faithfulness on her behalf.
July 13 — ch. 4 Boaz redeems Ruth and restores Naomi’s inheritance, carrying forward the family line that will lead to David and ultimately to Jesus.
Continue in the See JESUS in the Old Testament readings as we read the book of 1 Samuel!
