Voices of the Past
Do you know what I love about this time of the year? When someone asks me to do something, I can say, “I’ll do it next year!” Then, that raises an interesting question. What am I doing next year? What are you doing next year? As we sit down and plan for the coming year, let us ask a more specific question - “What am I doing for spiritual growth next year?”
With that question in mind, let me point you to Voices of the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings. At first glance, reading abridged pages from the tomes of the Puritans may not seem to you as fun and engaging reading, but you would be in for a surprise. How can I faithfully describe Voices of the Past? I categorize devotional reading under one of three readings: theological, practical, and exegetical. Charles Spurgeon often read theological treatises in his private devotional time - a practice I much prefer. However, other devotional practices involve reading on practical aspects of the Christian life (such as suffering, serving, and sanctification) or exegetical works which draw out nuggets from individual books of the Bible. Now, where does Voices of the Past fit? The answer: in all of them.
Voices of the Past may discuss the issue of temptation (practical) with an emphasis on the Spirit’s work (theological) as drawn from various passages of Scripture (exegetical). Before we excuse them as “above our heads” or “outdated", let me remind you that these writings were not written for professors and pastors; these words were written for people in the pew to encourage them in their prayer life, to comfort them in their afflictions, to strengthen them in their trials, to foster a deeper love for Jesus Christ. Are these not areas that we all need addressed? Who better to serve as a physician of our soul than men who knew both suffering and their Savior well? After spending a year reading this book with three other men, I have seen men encouraged in their prayer life, comforted in their affliction, strengthened in their trials, and growing in their love for Jesus Christ. What more could we want for spiritual growth next year?
Let me offer one bit of caution. These men see the world differently. I am not referring to the language difference, for the abridgment and a few days of reading will eliminate that difference. I am not speaking to how they read their Bibles. Though they read their Bibles with much more fluency than us, they gently lead us by the hand. What I am referring to is their dedication to Christ. For this generation, following Jesus is black and white. When they say that “you are either doing God’s will or the devils,” they will shock your modern sensibilities. And that is a good thing. Since they do not have the problems of the 21st century, their clarity helps us cut through some of the fog in our own day and age.
As you plan for your next year, how are you planning for spiritual growth? I encourage you to listen to the Voices of the Past and grow. You can purchase this book here.
