Kim Gentes

[Free Devotional Download "7 Sacred Steps" from writer Dan Wilt- see at the bottom of the review.]

OK. Confession time. I'm one of those people who prays everyday, and reads most days. For a long time, I would go on the "energy" of a scripture section, allowing the concepts, fused as they are with a perfusion of love and truth, to propel me through an ongoing desire to read and meditate on the Bible. But what I found is that I actually need to be more intentional about my devotional life. Not because God is standing over me, frowning for my lack of enthusiasm, but because at the core of my human condition is a lack. A lack of the real material of heaven that is required to live life on earth.

When I feed regularly on the scriptures, my soul is filled with what Jesus promised - "a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." But often enough, as silly as it sounds, I just forget or let myself become overwhelmed with the cares of daily life that I don't leave enough space in my day for meditations on God's word. When I lose focus, I find it is helpful to reset myself by using a guidebook or plan to help structure/lead my devotional time. The last month, I was privileged to get an early copy of Dan Wilt's "A Well-Worn Path" book. 

It was just the kind of simple structured path I needed to get my daily walk into a regular rhythm again. I've read a number of things Dan has written, and this may be his most piercing work yet. He doesn't mince words or paint pictures for pages. He gets to the heart of an issue in short order. Each scripture. Each day.

In fact, as I read each day through, I felt as though the devotionals were a sort of scriptural, even prophetic, declaration over my life. "Believe, Then See", "Enter Light", "Cease Worry", "Do Good", "Create With God", and on it went. Rather than giving placid generalities, Wilt throws a spear into the heart each day, by taking the most poignant edges of scripture and punctuating it with a simple phrase of instruction. After a further paragraph or two of clarity he offers up a prayer that we can join in immediately.

The devotions are simple, one page, and a pure gasp of clean air from the atmosphere of heaven. Much of Dan Wilt's writings are crafted stories and imagery meant to bring you into the heart of the matter. "A Well-Worn Path" is much more direct and works well as a month-long progression that doesn't tire you out from his style or topics. In fact, the nice thing about using a well-written devotional like this is that the choice of topics makes the journey authentic and prone to learning. I wouldn't have chosen to challenge myself in the same way the author does, and this is good. We are often too easy on ourselves.

Having gone through the devotional, I can honestly and completely recommend it to you. It is powerful, succinct and absolutely worth-while. In my opinion, it is Dan Wilt's best writing yet.

Amazon Book Link:  http://amzn.to/18RRXdx

Review by Kim Gentes

DOWNLOAD! Check it out below!

Be sure to chime in and let us know what you thought (post comments) and you are welcome to share this with friends on Facebook and twitter with your friends. 

Free Devotional Download "7 Sacred Steps" from author Dan Wilt

The Imitation of Christ is the writing of Thomas Haemerken who was born near Kempen.  He later became known for the locale of his origin and thus Thomas à Kempis is our common rendering of his name and authorship.  The Imitation of Christ is a volume which collects four main books dealing with primarily personal development, purity and piety of the reader, leading them to ultimate union with Christ.

The first two books in the collection are direct admonishments from Thomas directing the reading is proverb-like directives, pitting the failure of human effort against the solace of God’s grace.  The last two books are scripted dialog between Christ and the disciple (implying the writer and also the reader). The writer chooses to take a blunt  instructive tone in the entire treatise, not commending or encouraging the reader, but handling the vast majority of the topics through warnings.  Of particular import to Thomas was to communicate how no human should find consolation in this life, but only in Christ. Repeatedly, he creates the conversation to repudiate the sinful desires of the reader. The only consolation from struggles, temptations, persecution or failures is temporary consolation of God’s approval and sustenance through God’s grace, and death which leads to union with Christ after purgatory.

Thomas has seems of brilliance that flow into praise of God, but he is darkly adamant against letting any such joy spill out in actual physical, emotional or social contexts.  Here is a brilliant quote from him in regards to praise of God:

Would that our sole occupation were the perpetual praise of the Lord our God with heart and voice! Had you no need of food, drink or rest, you could praise God without ceasing, and give yourself wholly to spiritual things.[1]

 For Thomas privacy of all things is a matter of utmost piety.  The book provides brilliant glimpses into sinful and human motivations and how to conquer such devices through keeping vigilant in confession, penance and communion.  Thomas fails to learn the lesson of St. Francis however, and reverts to the pre-Franciscan millennial in which solitude from people was a necessary act of lifelong piety. Rather than acquiring the self-abasement of the monastics and combining the communal commitment of Francis, Thomas à Kempis undoes the brilliance of Francis advancement and calls all devout Religious to return to solitude and cares none for the clearly Biblical mandate of brotherly love and the community of the Church.

The book, like the other Christian mystic writings of the 10th-14th centuries, summates with its goal of union with Christ.  This is particularly interesting in “The Imitation” in that Thomas focuses exclusively on the Eucharistic sacrament as the ultimate manifestation of God’s help for the Christian.  This is woven beautifully into a prayerful call for Christ to join the believer in the communion sacrament, where Thomas says :

Dear Lord, I long to receive You with deepest devotion and ardent love. and with all the affection and favour of my heart, as many Saints and holy persons have longed to receive You in Communion, who were especially pleasing to You by the holiness of their lives, and were on fire with devotion. O my God, Eternal Love, my supreme good and eternal delight, I wish to receive You with the most eager devotion and deepest reverence that any of Your Saints have ever felt. or could feel.[2]

Product Link: The Imitation of Christ (Penguin Classics)

Review by Kim Gentes

[1]Thomas à Kempis, “The Imitation of Christ”, (London, England:Penguin Books 1952), Pg 65
[2]Ibid., Pg 214