Mon., 5/11

Short Reading: Ruth 1:6-8, 16-17

Long Reading: Ruth 1:1-17

Have you ever had to make a big sacrifice for someone else?

What do you think motivated Ruth to adopt her mother-in-law’s God and people?

 

Tue., 5/12

Short Reading: John 3:26-29

Long Reading: John 3:22-36

Why would John the Baptist use the illustration of a bridegroom?

What would it take to experience joy from taking a backseat?

 

Wed., 5/13

Short Reading: Proverbs 27:6, 10, 17

Long Reading: Proverbs 27

Why would we care about our father’s friends?

How have you observed or experienced iron sharpening iron?

 

Thu., 5/14

Short Reading: 2 Samuel 18:1-5

Long Reading: 2 Samuel 18:1-5

Was David wise to not join the army this time?

Why would David have compassion on the son who had attacked and humiliated him and run him out of the country?

 

Fri., 5/15

Short Reading: 2 Samuel 18:6-9, 14

Long Reading: 2 Samuel 18:6-18

Why would Joab disobey David?

How do you think David’s men felt after this?

 

Sat., 5/16

Short Reading: 2 Samuel 18:19-23, 28-32

Long Reading: 2 Samuel 18:19-33

What do you think were Ahimaaz’ intentions?

Why would “the Cushite” answer the way he did?

 

Sun., 5/17

Short Reading: 2 Samuel 19:1-7

Long Reading: 2 Samuel 19:1-7

Was David right to grieve for his son?

Did Joab act as a friend or was it just strategy to maintain his role?

 

Mon., 5/18

Short Reading: Zechariah 1:7-9, 12-15, 20-21

Long Reading: Zechariah 1

How is God characterized in this chapter?

Based on what you have read, what would you expect the message of this book to be?

 

Tue., 5/19

Short Reading: Zechariah 2:7-8, 10-11

Long Reading: Zechariah 2

What is Zechariah saying with the picture “apple of His eye”? Is that true for us, too?

Who and what is the prophesy in verses 10-11 referring to?

 

Wed., 5/20

Short Reading: Zechariah 3

Long Reading: Zechariah 3

Is the removal of filth symbolic for anything beyond the current moment?

Who is “My servant the Branch” (v. 8)? Why “branch”?

 

Thu., 5/21

Short Reading: Zechariah 4:1-10

Long Reading: Zechariah 4

What does the word of the angel in v. 6 mean? How is this relevant for us today?

Is v. 9 something that happened in Biblical times only or does God use people in that way today? What examples come to mind?

 

Fri., 5/22

Short Reading: Zechariah 5:1-4

Long Reading: Zechariah 5

What is the warning we find in these verses that is still relevant today?

Why do we think we can get away with stealing, lying, and hurting others in other ways?

 

Sat., 5/23

Short Reading: Zechariah 6:11-15

Long Reading: Zechariah 6

How might God want you to branch out?

Where have we seen obedience to God as the key to success?

 

Sun., 5/24

Short Reading: Zechariah 7:2-10

Long Reading: Zechariah 7

Are there things we do that seem spiritual but do not accomplish their intended purpose?

Is this at the forefront of our mind when we ask ourselves how we are called to live?

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Mon., 5/25

Short Reading: Zechariah 8:16-23

Long Reading: Zechariah 8

What is the connection between verses 16-17 and 20-23? How has the church done in that department?

Is this prophesy already fulfilled or should we still expect it?

 

Tue., 5/26

Short Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10

Long Reading: Zechariah 9

We usually know this from Advent and don’t experience the surrounding text much. How does that change our understanding of these verses?

Is God a pacifist? If not, what is He after, what not?

 

Wed., 5/27

Short Reading: Zechariah 10:6-12

Long Reading: Zechariah 10

What does God’s promise to bring them all back say about His character?

What would it look like if we considered verse 12 a promise to us and lived like it is?

 

Thu., 5/28

Short Reading: Zechariah 11:7-14

Long Reading: Zechariah 11

Verses 12-13 sound familiar. How is this shepherd connected to Jesus?

A staff guides, yet it is called “favor.” In how much is God’s guidance an expression of His favor towards us?

 

Fri., 5/29

Short Reading: Zechariah 12:10

Long Reading: Zechariah 12

What would the original hearers of this prophesy have thought?

Have you ever mourned over Jesus’ death, or are we just so familiar with it that mourning doesn’t occur to us? Why would we mourn? Why not?

 

Sat., 5/30

Short Reading: Zechariah 13:7-9

Long Reading: Zechariah 13

What is the role of the shepherd here? What happens when he is stricken?

What does this refining look like in real life? Do we experience it, too?

 

Sun., 5/31

Short Reading: Zechariah 14:16-21

Long Reading: Zechariah 14

What if everything we had and did was under the banner, “Holy to the Lord”?

What does it take for something or someone to be holy?