Revealing Jesus: 365 Day Devotional by Darlene Zschech (Review) This Devotional is designed that each day equals a page and each page begins with a small portion of the Bible. Not more than one or two verses. The idea is not to get as much information as possible, but to thoroughly mull over what... more

Revealing Jesus: 365 Day Devotional by Darlene Zschech (Review) This Devotional is designed that each day equals a page and each page begins with a small portion of the Bible. Not more than one or two verses. The idea is not to get as much information as possible, but to thoroughly mull over what you have read. After the Bible verse, Darlene spends a couple paragraphs telling us her thoughts and revelations about that portion of Scripture and finishes with a prayer to start us off in our own conversation with Jesus. Actually, this book’s title is a bit of a misnomer because, although Darlene does reveal much about Jesus, what she does most is lead us to Jesus, where he reveals himself. Darlene’s approach to the Bible is both interesting and unique, (who spends days delving into the book of Philemon?!). She demonstrated her extensive knowledge of the Bible by telling the events surrounding the writing of the verse and helped me to consider the feelings of the writer: the one holding the pen and the One inspiring the words. Although the Daily Devotional format is pretty much what we’re used to, I found the content unexpected. Instead of a moment to pause and reflect, Darlene Zschech helped me to rethink my own prejudices about Jesus and be ready to accept him just as he is and for whomever he is. By giving me new things to think about, her words lingered and resurfaced throughout the day (and many times long beyond that). By bringing Jesus to my attention in such a enduring way, it allowed me to notice that he is interacting with me in ways and places I hadn’t previously noticed. We may put her book down after the daily reading, but the revealing of Jesus continues. It’s obvious through her writing that Darlene’s own relationship with Jesus is an intimate one. She can express his majesty and might and at the same time his tenderness and availability. Our days that are filled with a million annoyances and sometimes huge painful events can feel like we are walking in a barren world. Like nomadic desert dwellers. But this devotional is more than a stop at the oasis. By revealing Jesus, Darlene puts us in the same place as the woman at the well, who met Jesus in a moment when they were both tired and alone. But once THAT woman understood who Jesus was and what he was offering, she never thirsted again. So be prepared, because once Jesus is revealed TO you, it’s inevitable that he’ll be revealed THROUGH you.