“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10
Ever since I left the Roman Catholic Church a few years ago, I don’t know what to make of Lent. When that time of the year comes around, I am like a lost sheep in need of direction. This year was going to be the same, but I heard an announcement of the devotional To Seek and To Save: Daily Reflections on the Road to the Cross by Sinclair B. Ferguson on Reformation Network.
Now, I am not usually an impulsive buyer (okay except for books and music), but I purchased it the same day. It was my first devotional book, and I couldn’t have picked a more excellent place to start.
To Seek and to Save follows the journey of Jesus to the cross from the moment He set His face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). On His journey, Jesus encountered several people such as rich rulers, Pharisees, beggars, politicians, etc. And each of these encounters points to the cross and leaves us with profound truths to ponder.
The book has six main parts, each corresponding to the six weeks of Lent. Each day (except Sunday) features a short reading from the book of Luke, questions for reflections, and a space to journal your thoughts. Sundays didn’t have readings; instead, Ferguson included beautiful poems or hymns relevant to the weekly theme. The devotions start on Ash Wednesday and culminate on Resurrection Sunday for a total of 40 readings.
To Seek or to Save is designed to be read during Lent to prepare our hearts for Easter. But it is so good at focusing your mind on Christ that you can benefit from reading it any time of the year.
I highly enjoyed the writings and reflections of Ferguson in this devotional. It was packed with truths and shed light on several things on the life of Jesus that I never knew. Also, the featured poems and the palm branches adorning the pages added a beautiful touch to the book. My only drawback was that Ferguson didn’t include the Scripture reading in the book.
Other than that, To Seek and to Save was refreshed my soul. It helped me set my mind towards calvary and prepare my heart for Easter. I highly recommend it!
