This devotional grew out of my desire to “live by
the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). My
main concern was to focus on the hope promised us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Hence the title: A Weekly Encounter: Fifty-Two Meditations of Hope.
It’s hopeful, for there’s the message of Jesus Christ’s resurrection and
salvation throughout its pages. Like other devotional books, this one not only
quotes over many biblical passages, but also focuses on quotations drawn from
BrainyQuotes, Goodreads, and the Dictionary of Quotations, to enhance the
essays on these meditations.
Many of quotes used were used by famous and
world-renowned personalities, such as Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Eleanor
Roosevelt (1884–1962), William Shakespeare (1564–1616), John F. Kennedy
(1917–1963), Pope Francis (b. 1936), Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968), Saint
Teresa of Calcutta (1910–1997), Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948), Billy Graham (b.
1918), Desmond Tutu (b. 1931), Aristotle (384 BC–322 BC), Voltaire (1694–1778), Confucius (551 BC–479
BC), and many more. These individuals are from diverse cultures, national
origins, and creeds and have spanned the ages.
It was interesting to find that some secular and non-secular
leaders often meditated on the magnanimity of the Creator. My objective,
therefore, was to work their sayings into the basic teachings of Scripture and
provide a “Thought of the Week” in Bible verses.
It’s hoped that a reader may focus each week on one
of these fifty-two entries or spend much more time on the same meditation
throughout the week. Each week’s meditation is generally broken down into
smaller ones that are relevant to the main meditation discussed.
In pondering these Fifty-Two Meditations of Hope, a
reader may find comfort in the following three helpful questions:
1) What
is your overall reaction to the meditation?
2) Did
the quotes in the meditation shed light on its contents?
3) Did
you find the meditation helpful?
At the conclusion of all fifty-two weekly entries, a
reader may now answer a fourth question: “Finally, in the author’s message, was
it clear that there was overall hope for redemption and salvation?”
Although the meditations are organized into various
chapters, it isn’t necessary to read each in its proper sequence. A reader, if
he or she likes, may choose to skip around and read what appeals to him or her
on any particular week. Some may want to concentrate on a chapter at a time,
while the more ambitious may read through the entire book of meditations in one
sitting. What’s important is that you do what’s best and most convenient for
you. You may even consider having a writing pad and pen handy to make notes as
you explore and critique this book.
For more reading, I’ve carefully chosen books to
include in the “Selected Readings” section for the further edification of
readers. These are some of the more important Christian and non-Christian books
I’ve read that have helped shape these devotions.
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