Cliquer sur une vignette pour aller sur Google Books.
Chargement... Echoes of Eternity: A Contemplative Journal for Every Daypar Hal M. Helms
Aucun Chargement...
Inscrivez-vous à LibraryThing pour découvrir si vous aimerez ce livre Actuellement, il n'y a pas de discussions au sujet de ce livre. aucune critique | ajouter une critique
Our oldest Christian traditions invite us to listen as well as speak when we pray, yet often the Voice seems barely audible. With over 50,000 copies sold since its original release in 1996, Echoes of Eternity has helped many who desire to quiet their hearts and listen. This new contemplative journal presents 365 brief meditations gathered from one pastor's faithful daily practice of listening to God, with space added for your own reflections. Each reading includes a Scripture verse and encouraging words that speak of Christ as our anchor, the treasure of God's love, and His lasting peace. Echoes of Eternity facilitates a quiet moment alone with God at any time or place. Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
Discussion en coursAucun
Google Books — Chargement... ÉvaluationMoyenne:
Est-ce vous ?Devenez un(e) auteur LibraryThing. |
One entry per page, but these are not page-long-reflections. The daily entries consist of a scriptural verse and a short paragraph , written as a first-person message of God. The style is reminiscent of Sarah Young's more recent Jesus Calling devotionals. Because these are short, each page is mostly blank, leaving lots of room for journaling and personal reflections. The first-person style is because these entries were originally from Helms's own private prayer life—answers he received from God and recorded in his personal journals. These are words Helms heard himself and not merely some Divine-oracle literary device.
I am biased against one verse devotionals because they tend to take verses out of context. Helms doesn't always explicate the passage's background, but his reflections are sound. For example, his entry for January 2 is based on Jeremiah 29:11, "I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." This is a popular verse in many devotionals, but seldom is the context mentioned— hope for exiled Israel that divine wrath is not the final word. The verse, in context, says God will not forget his people; decontexualized Jeremiah 29:11 gives a Divine underwriting of my personal destiny. Helms doesn't mention the background, but his word from the Lord for the day reflects the biblical context, "Flinch not, before my judgments, and do not let the enemy's accusations lodge in your heart. Be patient under my discipline for its for your eternal good. My goodness will not fail you and grace will always abound." This word is personal( this is after all a devotional), but it doesn't forsake the reality of Divine disciple (which exiled Israel experienced).
Because of the first-personal divine message style, the entries have the feel of personal encounter with God (again, similar to Sarah Young's devotional). The brevity of each entry means you can read in a moment, or you could slowdown and contemplate the breadth, height, width and depth of the Love of God and his purpose for your life.
Helm's language invites us to deeper reflection which helps us to see God, the world and ourselves in new light. In his entry for Christmas day, he wrote, "My presence is an oasis of peace in this angry, troubled world. You have yet to learn to be silenced before the mystery. Eternity does not enter the thoughts of the angry soul. Let my haven of peace, the lowly stable, be a refuge from your anger and ambitions. Quiet my child, think of the mystery of the ages—and be at peace." As I read this I reflected on the Incarnation and experienced more of God's peace. The New Year's entry reminded me, "You are meant to walk in a different realm—the larger reality of my kingdom." So I spent my time reflecting on what it means to walk in God's expansive kingdom.
I plan to use this this throughout 2017 and commend to you if you are on the hunt for a new daily devotional. I give this four stars.
Note: I received this book from Paraclete Press in exchange for my honest review.
( )