Meditating On the Word by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Daily, quiet reflection on the Word of God as it applies to me becomes for me a point of crystallization for everything that gives interior and exterior order to my life,” wrote Dietrich Bonhoeffer to his colleagues at the warfront in the winter of 1942. This collection of Bonhoeffer’s writings, sermons, and letters on meditation—including his unfinished meditation on Psalm 119—reveals his deep love for the Bible as a focus for his prayer life and a support in his courageous political life. “Why do I meditate?” asks Bonhoeffer. “Because I am a Christian. Therefore, every day in which I do not penetrate more deeply into the knowledge of God’s Word in Holy Scripture is a lost day for me.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian known for his opposition to National Socialism. His ties to the July 20, 1944, conspiracy to overthrow the Nazi regime led to his execution in 1945. His theological writings are regarded as classics throughout the Christian world.