Spiritual Sundays: Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Every year at Christmas time and also at Easter, I make goals to try and focus on "the reason for the season" -- I make an effort to focus on Jesus Christ and His life rather than the decorations and celebrations and presents. Some years I am more successful than others. This year I had the idea to read a few pages from James E. Talmage's gigantic tome Jesus the Christ, a book that covers Christ's life from before birth to his prophesied return. I have tried to read this book before. I haven't ever gotten more than a few pages in, and I think this is because I like to read spiritual and nonfiction books slowly so I have time to absorb what I've read. This book is almost eight hundred pages long, so it takes quite a while to read it slowly -- it would take quite a while to read even if it was the only book I was reading!

So this time, I am going to try and read a few pages every day starting with Advent and finishing on Easter (which is on April 8 this year, if the internet tells the truth). I might occasionally share little quotes and thoughts from the book as I progress through it. So far, the language is really beautiful, and the few pages I have read already have me thinking more about Christ from day-to-day and thinking of ways to live my life the way He would want me to live it.

In the words of the author, this is the purpose of the book: "The purpose of the present treatise is that of considering the life and mission of Jesus as the Christ." I am looking forward to learning more over the next few months!

3 comments:

  1. Thank you, Lorren. I have also started multiple times and never been able to read this book. But I love this idea and am going to join you.

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  2. I'm definitely with you on the trying to focus on the reason for the season. When a person actually meditates on the depth and glory of these events in Jesus' life and what they mean to/for us, it's kinda hard to even fathom. It a wonderful thing, to actually disciple ourselves to take our focus off of all the 'material' and unto the eternal.

    I do hope you share what you're coming upon in the book. Looking forward to it!

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  3. @Allison - YAY! I'm excited to hear how it goes for you!

    @Eva - Thank you for your lovely comment - I think you phrased everything perfectly. I am planning on sharing a few of the things I find in my reading over the coming months. :)

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