"Not A Silent Night"
by Adam Hamilton
 |
| debbiethisandthat.com |
I found a book in our church library a couple weeks ago which interested me. I thought it would be a good read for the Advent Season. It is entitled, "Not A Silent Night" and was written by Adam Hamilton. The book is composed of five chapters with each chapter focusing on the story of Christ as seen through the eyes of his mother, Mary. The chapters tell the story in reverse, starting with the crucifixion and ending with the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. I don't recall reading books by Adam Hamilton before and I have discovered that he is a prolific writer. His writing is interspersed with historical information and a large focus on the origin of words used in scripture and how these words are used in both the Old and New Testaments. For instance, he speaks of how the word "grace" is from a translation of one word in Greek which is kecharitomene. The root of this word is charis which is found in the following scripture: "God opposes the proud, but gives grace (charis) to the humble" (I Peter 5:5). Hamilton notes that this word appears 170 times in the New Testament in one form or another and 87 of those time, charis is translated as "grace." Now that I have discovered Adam Hamilton as an author, I intend to read more of his books. I like how he is able to take the scriptures and write about them in ways that relate to our modern times while adding in historical facts and explanations of Greek origins of words used. The emphasis on "grace" is so important as we reflect on Christ's coming to us. The fact that I don't deserve God's grace and yet He gives it anyway is both humbling and joyful to contemplate. I highly recommend the reading of this book and others by Adam Hamilton. I'll leave you with Adam's final words in Chapter 4 of "Not A Silent Night."
Above all, remember during this special season that the blessed, God-favored, grace-filled life is sometimes difficult and challenging. It was not a silent night for Mary, and it may not be for us. But through it all, in the midst of adversity, God is at work. Trust in God.
Blessings,
3 comments:
A beautiful post. God bless your family and you this Christmas season
What an intriguing perspective for a book--through Mary's eyes. Thank you for introducing Hamilton's writing to your readers. It sounds like an author I would like to read as well.
I'm going to find this book. I have very often considered Mary and what she experienced during the life of Jesus. She was human and a mom. Her challenges must have been many. Her devastation at the crucifixion must have been horrific, and I've thought about that a lot. For a mother, there could be nothing worse. I know I'd enjoy a story told from her perspective. Thank you for the recommendation.
Post a Comment