In Jermiah 8:22, the prophet is groaning over the suffering of God’s people as a result of their sin. To make matters worse, he knows the cure to their ills, but they won’t take the physic.

Sometimes it is a hard pill to swallow, this medicine called repentance.

Jeremiah isn’t wondering out loud to God as to whether or not there is help to be found. No, he is crying out to his people to remember that there IS help to be found. That God delights to forgive and restore. There is indeed a balm, a soothing medicine for their woes. “Wake up! Is it because God hasn’t provided a balm for us that we smart so? Isn’t there help in what he has already given us in faith and repentance – in Gilead?” In the proverbial place that represents God’s lush and full promises.

We however, use this phrase differently most times. We tend to cry it out in times of suffering and distress. After long seasons of suffering, pain, confusion, doubt and trial, we might question – “do you see and feel my pain God? And is there no healing medicine to be found?” I’ve been there. Maybe you have been too. Maybe you are there right now. And it is why I recommend this little but powerful book to you – Christ and Calamity: Grace & Gratitude in the Darkest Valley by HAROLD L. SENKBEIL

Harold Senkbeil, former pastor and Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions at Concordia Theological Seminary has written one of the sweetest, Christ centered and useful books for Christians in calamity I’ve ever read. I will read it again. And I will send copies of it to a number of people.

Senkbeil does not write from an ivory tower. Chapter 1 begins this way: “Calamity is everywhere around us. But recently it came home to roost at my house. My wife, Jane, whose health had been declining for decades, was hospitalized twice in the middle of the covid pandemic, and then she was released on home hospice care. For the next fourteen months our lives became a slow slog toward the inevitable end. It wasn’t all horrible. We had the help of a caring hospice team, and we had each other. Best of all, we had the promises of a very gracious God.”

The book is brief, and can be easily be consumed in one or two sittings. But I would counsel you not to do that.

The very short 11 chapters are meant to be read more like a series of meditations. One a night seems best. For although his writing style is extremely accessible, the depth of each portion is hidden deceptively under his easy prose. But he is keenly aware that the soul in crisis cannot easily take in huge chunks of deep counsel. Sometimes medicine needs to be easy to sip rather than to gulp.

The contents run as follows:

Invitation to the Reader

Prayer in Time of Affliction

i Your Calamity

ii When You Are Faithless, Christ Is Your Faithfulness

iii When You Cry Out, Christ Is Your Advocate

iv When You Are Afflicted, Christ Is Your Comfort

v When You Bear Your Cross, Christ Is Your King

vi When You Are Weak, Christ Is Your Strength

vii When You Are Sad, Christ Is Your Joy

viii When You Are in Darkness, Christ Is Your Light

ix When You Are Alone, Christ Is with You

x When You Are Dying, Christ Is Your Life

xi Christ Is Your Victory

Invitation to Prayer

Prayer for Any Time

Prayer for Morning

Prayer for Evening

“Jesus, Priceless Treasure”

If I were to highlight the key features, the words which come most readily to mind are:

Readable.

Realistic.

Christ-centered.

Gentle.

Biblical.

Healing.

If you are one who is in crisis, or know someone who is, please minister to yourself or them by securing this exceptional work.

There is indeed a balm in Gilead. His name is Jesus. And Christian, he is with you in the midst of your storm.

Christ and Calamity: Grace & Gratitude in the Darkest Valley

HAROLD L. SENKBEIL