Our Only Comfort

Includes the text of the latest translation of the Heidelberg Catechism (1975, updated 1988) approved by the Christian Reformed Church. Scripture references are listed in footnotes.

In a fast-paced world full of distractions, how do we create space to have conversations about faith? Parents long to talk about Jesus with their children, but are unsure where to begin. Families want to slow down and reconnect with what matters most, but struggle to squeeze anything into already busy schedules. Teens and adults desire to go deeper in their faith, but are filled with unanswered questions. In Our Only Comfort, Rev. Stephen Shaffer provides individuals and families with a helpful structure for growing in Christian faith. In a series of 364 daily devotions, Our Only Comfort will take families, young adults, and new believers through the core teachings of the Christian faith through the lens of the Heidelberg Catechism. Wrestling through questions like “Who is Jesus?” “How do I pray?” and “What does it mean to keep the Ten Commandments?” these short devotions create opportunity for conversations about faith between parents and children and provide nourishment for faith to grow.

The Christian's Only Comfort is the sermonic exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism by Theodore VanderGroe (1705-1784), a prominent divine of the Dutch Further Reformation. VanderGroe's exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism could be considered his magnum opus, and in some ways it was esteemed as highly by the godly in the Netherlands as The Christian's Reasonable Service of Wilhelmus à Brakel.en

If there is "nothing new under the sun," perhaps the main task now facing the Western church is not to reinvent or be relevant, but to remember. The truth of the gospel is still contained within vintage faith statements. Within creeds and catechisms we can have our faith strengthened, our knowledge broadened, and our love for Jesus deepened. In The Good News We Almost Forgot, Kevin DeYoung explores the Heidelberg Catechism and writes 52 brief chapters on what it has shown him. The Heidelberg is largely a commentary on the Apostle's Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer, and deals with man's guilt, God's grace, and believers' gratitude. This book is a clear-headed, warm-hearted exploration of the faith, simple enough for young believers and deep enough for mature believers. DeYoung writes, "The gospel summarized in the Heidelberg Catechism is glorious, its Christ gracious, its comfort rich, its Spirit strong, its God Sovereign, and its truth timeless." Come and see how your soul can be warmed by the elegantly and logically stated doctrine that matters most: We are great sinners and Christ is a greater Savior!

This book is a collection of fifty-two devotions based on the Heidelberg Catechism, one of the foundational documents of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Former PC(USA) moderator Neal D. Presa begins each devotion with a few of the questions from the catechism, along with their Scripture references, and follows with a brief meditation on those questions. Presa's reflections tie the catechism questions to daily life in contemporary America, helping readers find meaning and relevance for their own lives. Our Only Comfort is a helpful resource for those interested in learning more about their Reformed heritage and how they can apply it to their daily lives.