Sunday Matters

Title: Sunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart for Church
Author: Paul David Tripp
Major Themes: Devotionals, Church
Synopsis: Fifty-two devotionals that help center your heart on Jesus before arriving at church.

I was blessed to pick up Sunday Matters recently. I don’t read a lot of devotionals, but several years ago, a friend gave me a copy of Paul David Tripp’s New Morning Mercies, and I was greatly blessed by reading the gospel-centered truths and solid wisdom the author has to offer. So when I saw Sunday Matters was coming out, I knew I wanted to read it, too. I haven’t had enough time to get through all the devotionals in this book before writing my review, but I have been blessed, challenged, and encouraged by what I have read so far.

As the subtitle states, this book is comprised of 52 devotionals that are written with the goal of helping us center our hearts on Jesus even before going to church. As someone who can arrive at church feeling rather distracted and struggle to concentrate on the message, I’m thankful for the thought and work that went into this book—it’s so good to be reminded, week after week, just why corporate worship is important, and where our focus should be. With gentleness and love, Tripp guides our thoughts toward Jesus. Although some of the topics he addresses aren’t the most comfortable to read about at times (his comments about being genuine and asking for help when we need it gave me a lot of food for thought!), they are always gospel-focused and applicable.

After each approximately four-page devotional, there are three sections to help you dig deeper into the topic of the week—relevant scripture references (usually one or two), questions for reflection, and some ideas for family discussion about the topic. We haven’t used this devotional as a family, so I can’t comment on how helpful the family discussion section is (although it’s given me things to think about!).

I’m thankful Mr. Tripp took the time to put together Sunday Matters. It’s encouraging to be reminded that it isn’t just important to gather with other believers for worship—it’s also important to counsel and guide our hearts in preparation for the worship. In a world that seems to be moving faster and faster, this book is a call to be still—to take the time to meditate on the truth in God’s word, to leave behind the week’s worries and frustrations, and thus help us engage more fully when we sit down in the pew on Sunday morning. This book has been a blessing to me, and I’m looking forward to continue going through it over the next while.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

No warnings!

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