Walking with Jesus through the Old Testament: Devotions for Lent

by Paul E. Stroble

On a seven mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, the resurrected Jesus captivated two travelers with stories from the Old Testament pointing to his life and death. Walking with Jesus through the Old Testament invites readers to embark on this journey with Christ throughout the Lenten season. Stroble imagines what Jesus would have said to his companions and guides readers along the way with forty-six devotions referencing the Old Testament. A prayer and a set of “digging deeper� activities are also included to help readers engage with each reflection on a personal level. Readers will ultimately come to the Easter celebration with a fuller understanding of God's promise fulfilled by Jesus' death and resurrection.

154 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2015

About the author

I've written 22 books altogether, on a variety of subjects. See my website for a complete list of my publications. See finishinglinepress.com for my poetry chapbooks, "Dreaming at the Electric Hobo," "Little River," "Small Corner of the Stars," and the forthcoming "Backyard Darwin."

Reviews

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

During Lent we renew our sense of God's presence.

A devotion for each day of Lent to remind us the cost of Christ salvation for us. It is a time many will deny a habit that takes away our dependence on Christ and the work he has done. It is a time to examine our heart. It is also a time to break down barriers that we have put up in our relationship with others and God as well due to pride, fear, and anxiety. It is resting in the righteousness of Christ that we may share his righteousness with others.

Each day's devotion starts with the Old Testament and the New Testament reading. Each reading takes about 10 minutes and ends with a prayer and application to dig deeper.

The devotion is being with Jesus so that we can love others as He as loved us. It is a time of healing those parts that make it difficult to trust and love. You can't have love without trust and you can't have trust without love. Lent is rediscovering how Christ rescued us and how we must be on mission to show the rescue of Christ.

The devotional was great insight for our reflection of Lent and one that I invite others to share.

A Special Thank you to Westminster John Knox Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Armed with a reference Bible, the New Interpreter's commentary and mostly uncreative insights into the texts discussed, Dr. Stroble attempts to lead followers of Jesus through a Lenten journey as if walking with the risen Christ along the road to Emmaus. We read in Luke's Gospel that the risen Jesus explained to the disciples how to the Old Testament foreshadowed his own ministry and purpose, and so Dr. Stroble points out the traditional Old Testament texts that seem to speak of the Messiah and attempts to put a devotional spin on them. I found very few new or revelatory insights in this book, which was a bit disappointing.

[Michelle Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting Lenten devotion book. What *did* Jesus teach on the road to Emmaus? This book proposes a series of Scriptures from the Old Testament that prophesy His time here. Each devotion references the Old Testament, then ties it to the New Testament story. I very much enjoyed seeing the Old and New Testaments parallels.

[Dana Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won Walking with Jesus Through the Old Testament: Devotions for Lent by Paul E. Stroble in a Goodreads giveaway. This is an inspirational little book of devotions. But I was looking for a bit more substance. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

[Shane Hunziker · Rating 3 out of 5]

These truly are devotionals. I had been hoping for a bit more of a deeper dive into the connections between Jesus' teachings and the Hebrew Scriptures. For what it is, though, it's just fine.

[Amee Colvin]

This was a lovely Lenten devotional. Well constructed and thought provoking. I really loved how it tied in the prophecy to the Crucifixtion and the Resurrection. Each day was the perfect length as well. Paul Stroble is a professor at Webster University in St. Louis and a member of the Webster Hills United Methodist Church, so I enjoyed the local connection.