Key Verse
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
 
Meditation
Psalm 22 reveals the beauty of God’s Word and the sovereign purposes of God fulfilled through the work of Jesus Christ.

Jesus proclaimed Psalm 22 while suffering on the cross, crying out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (22:1 Matthew 27:46). The whole Psalm traces Jesus’ trajectory from the cross, into the grave, and then up from the grave, guiding worshippers through the darkness of death before resurrecting hearts for praise.

The Psalm moves in a dramatic “V” structure. It descends from the agony of feeling forsaken (v. 1), crying in the dark of night (v. 2), and wrestling with the seeming absence of God’s presence (vv. 3-8) to remembering God’s covenant faithfulness to former generations while simultaneously feeling abandoned in present suffering (vv. 9-11). Images of bulls, lions, and dogs surround the sufferer (vv. 12-18), intensifying the experience of weakness, shame, and death.
 
At the bottom is a deep lament: Will the Lord save? Will He deliver? Has God abandoned His servant in the moment of greatest need?

Then hope rises. The movement upward erupts with praise in the congregation (vv. 22-25), joy for the afflicted and poor (v. 26), worship spreading to the ends of the earth (vv. 27-29), and future generations proclaiming God’s righteousness (vv. 30-31).

Psalm 22 ultimately points to Jesus Christ, who entered the depths of forsakenness so His people would never be forsaken. Through His suffering comes salvation, through His death comes life, and through His resurrection comes everlasting praise. Kingship belongs to the Lord (v. 28), and every generation will proclaim the victory of our resurrected King.

 
Today’s Reading
​My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 
2    O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, 
and by night, but I find no rest. 
3    Yet you are holy, 
enthroned on the praises of Israel. 
4    In you our fathers trusted; 
they trusted, and you delivered them. 
5    To you they cried and were rescued; 
in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 
6    But I am a worm and not a man, 
scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 
7    All who see me mock me; 
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 
8    “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; 
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 
9    Yet you are he who took me from the womb; 
you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. 
10    On you was I cast from my birth, 
and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. 
11    Be not far from me, 
for trouble is near, 
and there is none to help. 
12    Many bulls encompass me; 
strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 
13    they open wide their mouths at me, 
like a ravening and roaring lion. 
14    I am poured out like water, 
and all my bones are out of joint; 
       my heart is like wax; 
it is melted within my breast; 
15    my strength is dried up like a potsherd, 
and my tongue sticks to my jaws; 
you lay me in the dust of death. 
16    For dogs encompass me; 
a company of evildoers encircles me; 
       they have pierced my hands and feet— 
17    I can count all my bones— 
       they stare and gloat over me; 
18    they divide my garments among them, 
and for my clothing they cast lots. 
19    But you, O Lord, do not be far off! 
O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 
20    Deliver my soul from the sword, 
my precious life from the power of the dog! 
21        Save me from the mouth of the lion! 
       You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 
22    I will tell of your name to my brothers; 
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 
23    You who fear the Lord, praise him! 
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, 
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 
24    For he has not despised or abhorred 
the affliction of the afflicted, 
       and he has not hidden his face from him, 
but has heard, when he cried to him. 
25    From you comes my praise in the great congregation; 
my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 
26    The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; 
those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
May your hearts live forever! 
27    All the ends of the earth shall remember 
and turn to the Lord, 
       and all the families of the nations 
shall worship before you. 
28    For kingship belongs to the Lord, 
and he rules over the nations. 
29    All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; 
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, 
even the one who could not keep himself alive. 
30    Posterity shall serve him; 
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 
31    they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, 
that he has done it. 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you in the “V” structure of the Psalm, especially the invitation for resurrected hearts to worship the king “who rules over the nations”?

-Jesus uses the lyrics of this Psalm for His suffering. How can you use the lyrics of this Psalm (and others) for your life?

-Meditate on the cross. Meditate on the empty tomb. God brings life from death. God births praise from pain. Allow these truths to move from your head to your heart. Your sovereign God loves you, and He is working all things for your good and His glory.

Key Verse
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

I miss my dad, who died nine years ago today. That sentence alone is evidence of God’s grace working in my life. What follows is a window into a journey marked by forgiveness, gospel conviction, and the long-suffering work of grace in my own heart. Over time, God has shown me that it is far easier to condemn our parents' failures than to honestly confront the brokenness within ourselves. This brief reflection is an invitation to examine our own hearts in the light of God’s mercy.
​
The Letter
I don’t think I will ever know my dad’s final words to me because they remain sealed somewhere inside an envelope in Indonesia. While we were living outside Jakarta nearly a decade ago, I received a notification that a letter from my dad had arrived at the post office. Along with the notice came an invoice for seventy dollars to retrieve it from the Indonesian postal service.

I refused to pay the ransom. At the time, I justified the decision on principle, convincing myself I did not want to support extortion. But beneath that conviction was something more personal and painful: I did not believe my dad’s letter was worth seventy dollars. Now, I would pay far more to read it. In fact, when I returned to Indonesia, I asked people if they knew someone who could help me find the letter. So far, no one has.

Grace has a way of exposing what bitterness conceals. What I once dismissed, I now treasure. What I once hardened myself against, I now grieve. And somewhere in that journey, the gospel has been teaching me that reconciliation rarely begins by seeing another person’s sin more clearly, but by finally seeing our own in the light of Jesus' finished work and our union with Him.

Captain America
When we were kids, my dad loved entertaining my friends and me by calling into sports talk radio shows. Whenever he dialed in, the moment would revolve around the call. We were expected to wait in anticipation for him to break through to the hosts. And every single time, he opened with the same line: “Hello out there, America, this is your captain speaking.” He rarely added anything meaningful to the sports conversation, but he was unforgettable. 

Dad loved being the center of attention, and his personality could fill a room. He delighted in making strangers laugh. He was deeply relational. When he was at his best, he moved toward lonely people with tenderness and compassion, including widows he visited, homeless people he helped, and strangers he made feel seen. When he had money, he was remarkably generous. When he was intentional, Dad tried to make memories, from taking me to a Michael Jackson concert in elementary school, the SEC Basketball tournament in middle school, and to Tennessee football games growing up.

Deep within my dad, there was something genuinely beautiful: joy, mercy, generosity, warmth, and adventure.
 
But Captain America had a dark shadow side, too. The wounds of my dad’s childhood never truly healed, and his alcoholism magnified every fracture. Too often, his life reflected addiction and instability more than faith. He could become volatile without warning, reactive and cutting, using words like weapons. It often felt as though he could switch personalities in an instant. His instability eventually shattered our family, leading to my parents’ divorce when I was twelve. His inconsistency made leadership and work difficult, eventually forcing him to sell the family business. His lack of self-control left a trail of financial debt, broken trust, and deteriorating mental and physical health.

I was the youngest of three children, and for reasons I still do not fully comprehend, something in my personality often seemed to awaken his darkest side. Our relationship became deeply strained and painfully complicated. I wish I had taken more time to understand when I was growing up, to not be so reactive myself. But I did not know grace then as I do now, at least enough to extend patience and perspective in relation to him. 

For most of my life, I only saw my father through the lens of his failures, shortcomings, struggles, and limitations. But the gospel has a way of dismantling self-righteousness. Grace forces us to abandon simple categories of victims and villains. Over time, I have come to realize my father was neither a monster nor a saint, but a wounded man bearing both the beauty and brokenness of God’s image in a fallen world. And if I am honest, so am I.

Mingled Reality
In August of 1985, my dad survived a major plane crash: Delta Flight 191 in Dallas. He was one of only twenty-five people who survived. 

I still remember watching coverage of the crash on CNN and later seeing camera crews at our home interviewing him. Physically, my dad recovered remarkably well. Emotionally, I do not think he ever truly recovered from the trauma.

The crash exposed two very different realities in my father’s life.

On one hand, my dad publicly spoke about his faith in Jesus, his love for his family, and his gratitude for being alive (See the article above). Those moments were sincere. He genuinely saw his survival as a gift of divine mercy and wanted people to know it.

On the other hand, the tragedy also uncovered a hidden life that no interview or newspaper article mentioned, specifically deceit toward my mother, a devastating gambling addiction, illicit relationships, and years of secrecy. The crash illuminated these realities in my dad's life.

For many years, I only knew how to interpret my father through his darkness and my own pain. Looking back now, I think my dad embodied Paul’s tension in Romans 7:18-25 more than I realized at the time. There was both genuine beauty and deep brokenness in him, often existing side by side in confusing ways. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, there were parts of my father that reflected tenderness, generosity, and mercy, while other parts were hidden, destructive, and deeply painful.

The gospel changes how we see and understand people, and for my dad, I no longer exclusively focus on Hyde.

The gospel does not minimize sin, excuse addiction, or ignore the devastation people cause. Rather, the gospel exposes sin honestly while also refusing to reduce a person entirely to their worst moments. Over time, the grace of God has helped me see not only the darkness in my father, but also the image of God still present within him. And strangely, as I have grown in understanding my own need for God’s mercy, I have found myself able to honor what was good in him and lament what was broken.

Last Words are not Final Words
When we moved to Indonesia, my dad’s final spoken words to me were heartbreaking. As we tried to coordinate a time for him to say goodbye to our family, he said, “I do not want to see you, son. You will only continue to disappoint me.” 

Looking back, I do not believe those words reflected the deepest reality of my father’s heart. I think he was wounded, reactive, and trying to use words to regain control of a moment he did not know how to handle. But understanding that now does not erase what those words felt like then. At the time, they landed like a hammer on my soul.

I remember asking him to repeat himself because I could hardly believe what I had heard. He repeated the words. And after a long silence, I simply responded, “Dad, I love you,” before hanging up the phone.

We never spoke again as my dad died while we were living in Indonesia.

At his graveside service, I lingered long after everyone else had left, searching for some sense of closure. As I threw dirt onto his coffin, the Spirit of God began convicting me about my sin. For years, I had clearly seen the brokenness in him while remaining far less aware of the pride, anger, self-righteousness, and hardness living inside of me. From that moment, the gospel began liberating my soul.

The strange and painful reality is that the tension of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde runs through my life too. The conflict between sin and sanctification is not unique to my father; it is part of the human condition outside of Eden. I am not ultimately broken because I am the son of John Moore, but because I am a son of Adam. But the gospel speaks a greater word.

Through Jesus Christ, I have been adopted into a new family and given a new identity. My deepest identity is no longer rooted in the wounds of my earthly father, but in the love of my heavenly Father. Part of me still wonders about the missing letter from Indonesia, imagining it could somehow provide the closure I once longed for. But the older I become, the more I realize redemption rarely comes through finding the perfect final words from another person.

True healing comes from hearing and believing the final Word God has spoken over us in Jesus. From our union with Christ, believers hear God’s acceptance: “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Because of Jesus, the truest thing about me is not my pain, loss, disappointment, or sense of rejection from my relationship with my dad. The truest thing about me is that I am loved by the Father through the Son, sealed by the Spirit forever. And because this is true, I can genuinely say, "Dad, I miss you."

Key Verse
22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 
 
Meditation
God’s sovereign grace rescues His people to reveal His glory, a reality repeated three times in today’s reading: God will get glory for Himself (vv. 4, 17, 18). 
 
Warfare follows Israel into the wilderness. Trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the sea, fear exposed Israel’s unbelief. Moses leads with a non-anxious presence rooted in God’s promises: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord” (v. 13). The Lord Himself would fight for them (v. 14), rescue to reveal His glory. 
 
God creates, rescues, and renews His people and gives ground for His glory. Israel walked forward into the sea “on dry ground” (vv. 16, 22), imagery echoing God’s redemptive work throughout Scripture. “Dry ground” appeared in creation when God separated the waters to form a world for flourishing life (Genesis 1:9-10). “Dry ground” emerged after the flood as Noah stepped into a new creation (Genesis 8:13-19). “Dry ground” welcomed Israel when they crossed the Jordan into the promised land (Joshua 3:17).
 
Jesus provides a greater rescue, “delivering us from deadly peril” and securing eternal redemption for all who trust Him (2 Corinthians 1:10). Believers now stand on the solid ground of grace, awaiting the day when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).
 
God’s rescue gives Christians “dry ground” to steward for His glory- in our homes, relationships, work, neighborhoods, and every sphere of influence. Responding to God’s grace, walk forward in faith and make much of His glory on the ground He has given you.
 
Today’s Reading
​Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea.3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night[a] without one coming near the other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you in today’s reading, especially the salvation God gives to Israel and the emphasized motives of God to get glory for Himself?
 
-Where are you “afraid to walk forward” on the ground God has given you, trusting in His sovereignty to steward the ground for His glory?
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus offer security for you to stand on the ground of God’s grace to courageously live for God’s glory in your relationships, workplace, school, family, friendships, and how you use your money…? Be specific in naming some ground in your life to walk forward in faith for God’s glory.
 
Key Verse
22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 

Key Verses
17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
 
Meditation
The gospel is not stagnant, a monument memorializing past ministry. The gospel is dynamic, a movement that deepens the faith, hope, and love of local churches and catalyzes the spread of the good news of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
 
The opening line of today’s reading reminds us that the gospel is for everyone, everywhere: “The Gentiles also received the word of God” (v. 1). The same Spirit who fell on devout Jews at Pentecost now falls on Gentiles, confirming that salvation is through grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone. Even the “circumcised party” (which sounds like no party at all) glorifies God, confessing, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life” (v. 18). The Spirit takes the gospel wide into God’s world.
 
The spread of the gospel continues north to Antioch after the persecution following Stephen’s death scattered believers (vv. 19-21), where Barnabas sees “the grace of God” (v. 23) shaping a healthy church marked by deep discipleship, joyful exhortation, and generous mercy. Barnabas encourages believers to “remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose” (v. 23), and for a full year, he and Paul strengthen the church through intentional teaching.
 
Antioch becomes the first place where believers are called “Christians” because deep discipleship transforms ordinary people into “little Christs,” a community of faith overflowing in tangible love, including generous support for suffering brothers and sisters during famine.
 
The Spirit of God still takes the gospel deep into the hearts of His people and wide into the world, strengthening the Church to make King Jesus known among all nations.
 
 
Today’s Reading
Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” 
​
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. 
 
27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially in the dynamic nature of the gospel that deepens discipleship and deploys the gospel to all people, everywhere?
 
-Why is it difficult to go deep in faith and wide in practice? Is your discipleship marked with theological accuracy, shepherding intensity, and mercy intentionality? Why or why not?
 
-How does seeing that it is the Spirit’s work both empower and encourage you to go deeper and wider with His work? What are practical ways you can participate in the Holy Spirit’s work personally and globally? Be specific.
 
Key Verses
17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
 

Key Verse
16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. 
 
Mediation
Re-focusing our hearts on God’s faithfulness fertilizes the growth of gratitude. Remembering God’s redeeming work helps believers trust His promises and recognize His presence through difficult providence.
 
The context of today’s reading is the Lord’s redemption of Israel from slavery through the blood of the Passover lamb. Those redeemed are now commanded to “remember” (v. 3) through two visible reminders of His redeeming grace: the consecration of the firstborn and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Through both symbols, God’s people are to remember the “strong hand” by which the Lord delivered them (vv. 9, 14, 16). Hearts grounded in sovereign grace grow in grateful remembrance of God’s faithfulness.
 
Gratitude also gives God’s people eyes to see His presence and promises. The Lord went before Israel in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (vv. 21-22), visibly assuring them they were not abandoned in the wilderness. At the same time, God was leading them toward the land He had promised their fathers (v. 5). God intentionally led His people away from the shorter road through Philistine territory, instead toward the Red Sea. The difficult path was evidence of God’s purposeful providence as the pillar of fire and cloud marked His presence.
 
Jesus is the true Passover Lamb whose sacrifice redeems believers from slavery to sin and guarantees every promise of God. Christians remember Him through the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), holding to His promise that He will never leave nor forsake us. Grateful remembrance of Christ’s mighty redemption gives believers strength to trust His promises and confidence to follow Him through every providence.
 
Today’s Reading
​ The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread
3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. 5 And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. 8 You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.

11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord's. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

Pillars of Cloud by Fire
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph[a] had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” 20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the emphasis on remembering?
 
-Are you more characterized by grumbling over God’s providence or by gratitude for God’s presence and promises within His providence? 
 
-How does remembering God’s redemptive work through Jesus help you refocus your heart and fertilize gratitude? Where, specifically, do you need to re-focus on God’s promised presence in Jesus and His promises guaranteed through Him? 
 
Key Verse
16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. 

Key Verse
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality..."
 
Meditation
“There are no closed doors at the cross” captures the heartbeat of today’s reading: “everyone who believes in Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins through His name” (v. 43). Everyone means everybody, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Faith in Jesus transforms our primary identity and forms a new primary community: the family of God. 

Peter’s bold proclamation flows from God’s providence. A vision repeated three times, Spirit-sent visitors, and a surprising invitation led him to Cornelius, a Gentile, who was a Roman officer. Watching God grab Cornelius’ heart, Peter confesses, “Now I understand that God shows no partiality!” (v. 34). Through faith in Jesus, the dividing walls fall and all who believe belong.
 
God’s purposes have always been global: the promise to Abraham that “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3), the prophetic vision of a Servant who would be “a light for the nations” (Isaiah 49:6), and Jesus Himself crossing boundaries to reach outsiders (John 4). The gospel had already begun pressing outward (Acts 8), but now the door swings wide open.

God transforms hearts personally to shape His church corporately. Peter will need this lesson again (Galatians 2:11-14), and so do we. We subtly rebuild the walls Jesus died to tear down. But God is still patient, still pursuing, still saving.

The invitation remains: everyone who believes is welcome to the cross. No status, background, or story disqualifies. In Christ, strangers become family, enemies become brothers, and the church becomes a living testimony that grace knows no borders.
 
Today’s Reading
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. 

Peter’s Vision
9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests. 
 
The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”
 
30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” 

Gentiles Hear the Good News
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially regarding God’s emphatic providence, His patience with Peter, and the priority of His purposes?
 
-God’s word teaches that God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; James 2:1). Why does the Church sometimes live and love as though this isn’t true? How does God’s grace deal with the idols of our hearts?
 
-How can you practice God’s purpose today, celebrating your primary identity in Christ by participating in your primary community- The Church, specifically celebrating unity in Christ and community with people who are not like you?
 
Key Verse
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality..."