For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional
Ebook
Overview
A guide for ordinary Christians seeking to live faithfully in extraordinary times
“This is not the first end of the world. Many worlds have ended.”
In an era of political polarization, eroding democratic norms, and rising authoritarianism, many Christians find themselves disoriented, wondering how their faith should inform myriad daily decisions. Drawing upon both scholarship and pastoral wisdom, theologian Hanna Reichel offers a timely resource for believers seeking spiritual grounding amid societal upheaval.
For Such a Time as This provides a thoughtful framework for discernment rooted in scripture, historical wisdom, and the core commitments of Christian faith. Through meditations on scripture, reflections on historical precedents including the Confessing Church’s resistance to Nazi Germany, and portraits of inspiring figures who maintained their integrity in the face of oppression, Reichel guides readers toward their own Christian response to the present moment.
Written specifically for ordinary believers, this accessible volume acknowledges that while some are called to dramatic public witness, all must face the daily challenge of living faithfully as long-established institutions and systems reveal their fragility. Neither alarmist nor complacent, Reichel reminds readers that Christians throughout history have faced the collapse of worlds they once took for granted—and have discovered unexpected liberation in the process.
For anyone troubled by current political trends and searching for ways to disentangle faith in God from misplaced trust in political systems, For Such a Time as This offers both challenge and comfort. Readers will come away with practical wisdom for navigating our uncertain times, a deeper understanding of Christianity’s resources for resistance, and renewed energy for the urgent tasks that faithful discipleship demands today.
“None of this is unprecedented; what is unprecedented is that today it is we who have to do the hard work of seeing idols smashed, grieving and picking up the pieces, holding them into the sun, and seeing new refractions of light in their edges.”
Table of Contents
How to Read This Book
Introduction: “There Is Nothing New Under the Sun,” or We’ve Been Here Before
Part 1: “Prepare Yourself,” or Gathering
1. “He Then Rebuked the Wind . . . ,” or Find Calm
2. “And Jesus Wept,” or Feel Your Feelings
3. “Deprive Them of Their Pathos,” or Test Your Feelings
4. “Test the Spirits,” or Practice Discernment
5. “Wait for the Lord,” or Confess and Recommit
6. “Faith, Hope, and Love Remain,” or Find Purpose
7. “Two Are Better Than One,” or Build with What Is There
Part 2: “Hear the Word,” or Listening and Responding
8. “In the Beginning Was the Word,” or Mind the Power of Language
9. “Stand Where God Stands,” or Protect the Weak
10. “Stand Firm,” or Don’t Give Up Space
11. “For Such a Time as This,” or Use Your Privilege
12. “Obey God More Than Humans,” or Draw Lines
13. “Be Wise as Serpents and Innocent as Doves,” or Choose Your Battles and Avoid Traps
14. “Do Something Brave,” or Make a Start
Part 3: “Become What You Have Received,” or Communion
15. “Rejoice Always,” or Lean into Joy
16. “Pray Without Ceasing,” or Fortify Interiority
17. “Break Bread,” or Nourish Community
18. “Do This in Remembrance of Me,” or Rehearse Dangerous Memories
19. “When Your Children Ask You . . . ,” or Be a Little Conservative
20. “Many Members,” or Value Different Gifts 21. “One Body,” or Hold onto Unity
Part 4: “Go into the World,” or Sending
22. “Get Thee Behind Me, Satan,” or Get out of Yourself
23. “Find Power in Weakness,” or Practice Creative Nonconformity
24. “Prepare the Ground,” or Cultivate Relationships
25. “Love Your Neighbor,” or Shatter Loneliness
26. “Redeem the Time,” or Delay and Prepare
27. “Come to Me . . . ,” or Allow People to Change
28. “What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive?,” or Pass on the Word
Conclusion: “Build Houses . . . ,” or Transform Your Hope
First Aid Kit
Study Guide
Acknowledgments
Notes
“This is, in so many ways, the perfect book for such a time as this. When faith seems impossible and prayer feels foolish, Reichel’s meditations offer a responsible and meaningful resource to aid believers in calling to mind what is most important, and encouraging readers to live as Christian disciples — even and especially when it feels too difficult.”
—National Catholic Reporter
“This is the book I have been waiting for. Every page, every sentence imparts uncommon wisdom for such a time as this. Sparingly written yet conveying remarkable historical and theological depth, this is a book every Christian should read and reread, now and in the days ahead. An invaluable gift to the twenty-first-century church.”
—Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
“To live in perilous times, we all need perspective and inspiration, and Hanna Reichel offers both. For Such a Time as This is like taking a daily vitamin for our soul—every page is filled with good things to make us stronger. If we all read one entry a day and take its message to heart, together we’ll become the change we long to see in our world.”
—Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, author of How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith
“In times of tumult, I am often drawn to quiet, daily rhythms to help ground me. That’s why I’m thankful for Hanna Reichel’s For Such a Time as This, a devotional primed to help us keep calm when all seems like crisis. Both specific and universal, history lesson and mystical meditation, each entry is immediately relevant to our current context yet also echoes with ancient wisdom. In an era that screams for outward action, this small book draws us inward and upward to reorient and nurture our souls and refresh us for the work of righteousness.”
—Jemar Tisby, author of The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism
“Hanna Reichel has written the book many of us have been looking for: a devotional guide for addressing the challenges and tragedies of our times. Insightful, wise, and powerful, this is a must read for American clergy, individuals, academics, and congregations.”
—Victoria J. Barnett, general editor of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works in English series
“In any crisis it’s helpful to remember how faithful witnesses from the past navigated the crises of their time. But the art of interpreting the past for the present isn’t simple work. It takes care and discernment. For Such a Time as This reveals Hanna Reichel to be a master of the craft. This book reads like a classic for the present.”
—Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, author of Revolution of Values: Reclaiming Public Faith for the Common Good
“In these pages, Reichel makes a compelling case to pay attention. This is a task of love and resistance, of hope and protest, of dreaming and remembering, of creating space and taking space. For those drawn to such a life-affirming call, this book is for you.”
—Amar D. Peterman, author of Becoming Neighbors: The Common Good Made Local
“Hanna Reichel’s For Such a Time as This is a small but mighty guide for Christians seeking to understand how to live faithfully in extraordinary times. It offers a clear-eyed, faithful witness to the challenge of authoritarianism and Christian nationalism we face right now and the resources our faith traditions have to meet this moment. Drawing from the courage and conviction of the Confessing Church in Nazi Germany, as well as a rich tradition of theological and scriptural reflection, Reichel equips us to engage the deep questions of our day with wisdom, courage, and conviction.”
—Liz Theoharis, executive director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice, author of We Pray Freedom: Liturgies and Rituals from the Freedom Church of the Poor
- Title: For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional
- Author: Hanna Reichel
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Print Publication Date: 2025
- Logos Release Date: 2025
- Pages: 180
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781467470575, 9780802885920, 0802885926, 1467470570
- Resource ID: LLS:9781467470575
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-10-31T08:00:54Z