Writings that touch the pure-flaming heart of God ... from the men and women who walked with Him through the ages...guiding into a deeper friendship with the "Father of Lights."Today, when there is so much interest in the invisible world of angels and demons, how can we know whether the speculation about angelic interventions, swordplay in the heavenlies, and signs in the sky is true? What role do angels actually play in our lives?Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) stands among the rare handful of men and women gifted with true insight into the unseen, supernatural world. Known throughout the medieval church as a "spiritual doctor," he was given both a spectacular vision of angels and the wisdom to understand their purposes among men. May his words fix in your soul a vision of the beauty of God himself, and may you sense the help of angels, as they guide you to the real presence of the One true Lover of your soul.
I was not familiar with Bernard of Clairvaux prior to picking up this devotional, so I enjoyed the biographical introductory chapter. He is a fascinating figure, particularly for his involvement with the Knights Templar. The daily devotional sections comprise Scripture, paraphrasing of writings from Bernard and prayers.
The promise of content regarding angels peaked my interest, but I went in skeptical because of the slant this could have potentially taken- especially seeing Bernard described as a "mystic" in a brief Google search. That content was Scripturally sound and not very in-depth based on the readings provided. (I'm not sure how far Bernard delved into this area himself and am solely basing this observation off of the paraphrased content in this devotional.) However, there were some questionable topics covered- in particular contemplative prayer, which is itself dubious (it was not in the sense of New Age contemplative prayer).
I enjoyed the entry into this series of devotionals focused on the writings of Amy Carmichael, but was disappointed in the quality of this in comparison. For one thing, there are zero references/footnotes/sources in the biography section, and no citations of the paraphrasing of Bernard's own work aside from notating the source text. I was also bothered that the Scripture components were often piecemeal of several different verses, as reading in context is important for correct understanding.
Format: Ebook via Kindle Unlimited Rating: 2.5 stars Book 28 of 2024
Amazing! Wonderful that David Hazard has made this giant of the Middle Ages come to life. This book is a wonderfully accessible read that will open your mind to new horizons in your Christian faith.