Cloud Devotion: Through the Year with the Cloud of Unknowing

by David G. Robinson, David Robinson

A personal invitation to walk with God through of the great classics of Christian spirituality. This book of daily devotions is based upon The Cloud of Unknowing. In this edition Robinson sought to remain as true as possible to the voice of this medieval classic. Cloud Devotion follows the original Middle English text sentence by sentence, with Robinson’s own translation and paraphrase, divided work into 366 small portions, with a Scripture passage related to the theme from each daily reading.

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2020

Reviews

[Bonny Gorsuch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book as a gift on Ash Wednesday. The person who gave it to me highly recommended and had been reading it with her weekly small group. I began reading it that evening and have not missed a day since. The thing I notice most is how each day corresponds with what happens to be going on around me whether personally, a family member situation, or the world at large (like Covid19, for example.) The author uses language that is very easy to understand but in a way that carries my soul to a deeper place than it had been before. By reading daily, I feel like I’ve grown immensely in the Lord. “My Utmost for His Highest” has been my Daily Devotional for years. I have now made “Cloud Devotion” my daily go-to.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - For anyone interested in a daily Christian devotional, I thought this was a very interesting one; it is actually a medieval text that has been divided across a year's worth of days (with scripture passages and daily questions added), and I was frankly shocked at how relevant and similar the preoccupations of that time are today despite such differences between then and now on just about every level. If you ever read a few days at a time, I would recommend reading the actual text for each day continuously (skipping and coming back to the bible verses and questions) so that you get a feel for the original flow of the text, which is excellent!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely way to read the Cloud of Unknowing. Each day has a reading from the Cloud of Unknowing, a bible verse relating to it and a prayer focus. Very thoughtfully done. The author has offered his own translation and paraphrasing of the text. Very readable and inspirational.

[John Carlsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved including this text in my devotion times day-to-day. Oftentimes, daily devotiom books come back a bit lacking in substance to say the least. There's no deficit of substance with Robinson's treatment of the text here. It's a wonderful way to be exposed to the important historic work, but written in a way that's much easier to understand and relate with. In addition, the questions and content that he adds to enhance the daily readings are always helpful and thought-provoking, frequently remaining with me throughout the day.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend of mine recently inquired, "What's new Richard?" My answer was upbeat
and immediate as I told him for the past six weeks I have been reading a
daily devotional titled: Cloud Devotion, thankfully aware it is helping me learn new
insights while growing closer to the Lord. My family and I recently relocated to a new community and are
praying for God to guide us in the many adjustments we are dealing with to get settled.
The mystery and wonder of Christ's Presence and activity of the Holy Spirit is clearly evident in our lives.
Day by day, we attribute this flow of grace as answers to our prayers.
The main thing I told my friend is that something new and remarkable is going on and we are excited to live by faith, not sight. Now we are sharing this good news with family and friends
urging them to begin reading David Robinson's book, Cloud Devotion.

[JD Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robinson's modern translation is my introduction to The Cloud of Unknowing. The path of the Mysticism is a challenge to my intellectual and emotional make-up, that prefers to follow word-centered, incarnational, and social justice paths to the presence and heart of Christ. However, this modern translation with each bit paved with an appropriate scripture and a helpful question makes each step along this path doable and transforms what would be normally a march for me into a journey. Without the introduction, readers would think they are reading a contemporary devotion, and not a six hundred year old devotional classic. The Cloud of Unknowing is good wise counsel for a life in Christ from a mature mentor; Cloud Devotion is helping me engage it.