October 12-18, 2025

Heart Preparation:
This week, I invite you to read Matthew 11:28-30 and Matthew 12:18-21 before every day's reading. Take them in slowly. What do these words reveal about Jesus? About his heart for you? About the character of your Father? Pay attention to what rises up in your heart as you read these words. Whatever that is, hold it up to the Father honestly. Then proceed with the reading.


This Week's Reading:

• Sunday - Matthew 11
• Monday - Matthew 12:22-50; Luke 11
• Tuesday - Matthew 13; Luke 8
• Wednesday - Matthew 8:14-34; Mark 4-5
• Thursday - Matthew 9-10
• Friday - Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9:1-17
• Saturday - John 6

What to Expect:
Expect to see the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God, the reign of God in His Son, Jesus Christ, in this world. This is good news. This is the realer than real and the truer than true. Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth. The good news of his Kingdom is being established. It happens as the good news is preached from the mouth of God the Son. It happens as the broken are healed and put back together. It happens as the self-righteous are confronted with their own need for Jesus. It is summarized in Jesus' own words to John the Baptist through his followers, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: "the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me" (Matt. 11:4-6).


What to Look For: 
In these reading's there is encounter after encounter with people. Look for how Jesus responds to people. Read these encounters through the lens of the verses highlighted at the beginning. Jesus is living out of his own heart description. Jesus is merciful, kind, powerful, and good. Jesus is only ever upset with people who say he is no good for them or others and who, by their religious observance, harm and hurt his people with loads too heavy for their shoulders to carry.


Personal Insight:
Sometimes I wonder if the way we beat up on ourselves as believers is just another misguided way we try to justify ourselves to God; another way we try to convince God we are worth Jesus' death on the cross. How's that? When my posture towards God is saying again and again what a failure I am, how terrible I am, how I need to do and be better, isn't that just another way of saying, "God, aren't you proud of me? I am sufficiently repentant. I am beating up on myself the proper amount. You must be satisfied with how awful I know I am and my efforts to fix myself. If you have come to Jesus, you know your need. Go back and read these accounts. Does Jesus treat people who know their need for him like I do? Nope.


Prayer:
Jesus, I love you. Here I am. Take me as I am. You see what is rising up in my heart. Here it is, Lord. Here I am Lord. I trust you. You are good. Amen.

This week's devotion was prepared by Justin Coberley.