Late in the fourteenth century, Thomas Kempis joined a powerful spiritual movement sweeping Europe that was known as "The Brothers of the Common Life." While plagues devastated the population and turmoil tore apart the Church, the Holy Spirit moved across the continent among everyday people, bringing thousands together in small communities to recreate the communal life of the early believers. In this setting, Thomas lived a life of deep prayer, devotion, and service to God.It was the passion of his writing that galvanized the dramatic reform movement, all but saving the spiritual fire of Christianity in his own time. After the Bible, The Imitation of Christ is said to be the most widely read spiritual book of the world. It has helped countless believers to experience the living Spirit of Jesus Christ...like a living flame in the soul's depths.David Hazard has arranged the words and thoughts of Thomas Kempis into a forty-day devotional to help you meet Jesus in the quiet sanctuary of your soul...and carry Him into the traffic and noise and challenge of today's world...with you and in you...so the world may hear the voice and know the graceful beauty of the living Lord.
This book is a great way to enter into Christian spirituality. Why? First, because this book is deeply personal and keenly insightful. A Kempis' work is quite beautiful on its own but Hazard editing "for Today's Reader" makes it much more accessible (maybe someday someone will do this same thing with Oswald Chambers famous devotional book!). I think this is important because for many people the last thing they need to do when doing their devotional is to have to figure out the meanings of archaic or uncommon words. Second, the main thrust of a Kempis' writing is to help aid the Christian in the fight against the Adversary. Today, more than ever, many people choose to follow Jesus without realizing the bumps in the road, chief of which is Satan. Hazard helps the reader see this danger by his careful choosing of passages that deal specifically with this subject. Third, at the end of each chapter is a short prayer that is italicized to set it apart from the rest of the text. This too is particularly helpful for young or lapsed Christians because it (re)introduces them to prayer. Prayer, like most things in life, does not simply develop in a vacuum; it is learned. The best way is to have an experienced prayer partner to lead you along the way. A viable alternative is to pray the prayers of other devoted Christians who came before you. All in all this is a great book to have!
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