June 23

2 Kings 4:18-5:27; Acts 15:1-35; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 17:23

There’s a ton in today’s reading – Elisha raising the Shunammite’s child; the story of Naaman, commander of the army, who is healed from leprosy and makes a dramatic proclamation of faith; and the false teaching in Antioch from the Judeans, that you have to be circumcised in order to be saved.

But we’re also coming oh-so-close to the halfway point. On July 2, we’ll be halfway through 2017. And you know that that means? In just one week, we’ll be halfway through the Bible (more, technically, since we’ll have read all of Psalms and will begin to re-read them come July 3). That’s something to celebrate! Way to go, you! Way to go, me! Way to go, us!!

I feel led to take some time now to just pray for us, as we continue on in this journey.

Our Dearest Father,

Thank you for helping us make it halfway! Regardless of whether we’ve hit each day on time or had to skip ahead to catch up, we’ve come a long way and we’ve learned a lot about your word. And we’re so thankful – thank you for preserving this wonderful, mysterious and life-changing book. Thank you for providing us the means to have it not only in our language and in our own homes, but also the many tools we have to help us understand it better and grow more in our knowledge of you. Thank you for the people who developed the One Year Bible and all the thought and effort that went into it.

And I thank you for the people who have journeyed with us thus far on this blog, reading your word every day and pursuing ways to have it impact them more deeply. I pray you would bless them: I pray that their marriages would thrive, that their children would walk with you, that they would find success and fulfillment in their work, and that they would know their place in helping your will and your kingdom come on earth. Grant them perseverance as we come soon into the second half of the year.  Help us all to be diligent and faithful in our reading, and also grant us grace for ourselves when we just can’t keep up. Thank you that you have revealed yourself in the pages of this book; help us to know you more deeply and grow in our love for you and for others.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

- Esther McCurry

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