The Ransomed Heart

A Collection of Devotional Readings (365 Daily Devotions)

John Eldredge

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Year: 2005
• eBook ISBN: 9781418585747

For millions of people, reading the writings of John Eldredge has been a deep and profound experience, generating a hunger to integrate his ideas and insights into their daily lives. Meeting that need in an innovative way, The Ransomed Heart features 365 daily readings gleaned from John's best-known works, including Wild at Heart, Captivating, Waking the Dead, The Journey of Desire, The Sacred Romance, and Epic. More than a daily devotional, this volume is a portable library that will prompt readers to soulful reflection and deeper intimacy with God.

Table of contents

• COVER PAGE
• TITLE PAGE
• COPYRIGHT PAGE
• CONTENTS
• DEDICATION
• 1: LIFE IS A STORY
• 2: OUR LIVES ARE STORIES
• 3: AN ADVENTURE BEGINS
• 4: A PASSIONATE VOICE WITHIN
• 5: A DISTANT WHISPER
• 6: WE HAVE LOST OUR STORY
• 7: THERE IS A LARGER STORY
• 8: THE HEART IS CENTRAL
• 9: A HEART CAN BE PURE
• 10: A SUBTLE EROSION
• 11: A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY
• 12: IN THE END
• 13: THE GREAT STORIES
• 14: BORN INTO AN EPIC
• 15: A WORLD MADE FOR ROMANCE
• 16: THE GREATEST DIGNITY OF ALL
• 17: A LOSS OF HEART
• 18: THE CLUE TO WHO WE REALLY ARE
• 19: WE WERE ONCE MORE THAN WE ARE NOW
• 20: RESCUE IS GOD’S PLAN
• 21: A LOVE AFFAIR OF THE HEART
• 22: THE SECRET SET WITHIN OUR HEARTS
• 23: A SACRED ROMANCE
• 24: SEPARATE JOURNEYS: HEAD AND HEART
• 25: TO HARDEN OUR HEARTS
• 26: CREATED IN FREEDOM TO BE HIS INTIMATE ALLIES
• 27: THE HEART OF GOD IS GOOD
• 28: POPULAR NONSENSE
• 29: THE POINT OF ALL LIVING
• 30: IF YOU KNEW HIS HEART WAS GOOD
• 31: THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THE STORY
• 32: THE HEART OF ALL REALITY
• 33: WITH ALL YOUR HEART
• 34: RESTORATION
• 35: A BETRAYAL OF LOVE
• 36: TO BIND UP THE BROKENHEARTED
• 37: TWISTED THEOLOGY
• 38: THE KING WHO LOVED A HUMBLE MAIDEN
• 39: GOD PURSUING US
• 40: AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER
• 41: A NEW COVENANT
• 42: FEW HAVE FELT SO PURSUED
• 43: IS JESUS MORE LIKE MOTHER TERESA OR WILLIAM WALLACE?
• 44: IS THAT THE GOD YOU FIND IN THE BIBLE?
• 45: CREATION IS UNAPOLOGETICALLY WILD
• 46: WE, TOO, SHALL LIVE AND NEVER DIE
• 47: THE FREEDOM TO REJECT HIM
• 48: “DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL?”
• 49: LIFE AT LAST
• 50: THE MESSAGE OF THE ARROWS
• 51: AN INVITATION TO DESIRE
• 52: UNBELIEVABLE
• 53: THE ULTIMATE RISK ANYONE EVER TAKES IS TO LOVE
• 54: A FEAR OF PASSION?
• 55: PASSIONLESS AND INDIFFERENT
• 56: KILLING DESIRE MAY LOOK LIKE SANCTIFICATION
• 57: FROM FORMULA TO RELATIONSHIP
• 58: HIS FIERCENESS AND HIS ROMANTIC HEART ARE INSEPARABLE
• 59: DRIVEN INTO THE DARKER REGIONS OF THE SOUL
• 60: ADAM FAILS
• 61: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
• 62: THE UGLY DUCKLING BECOMES A BEAUTIFUL SWAN
• 63: SPEND A WEEKEND WITH YOUR RELATIVES
• 64: WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING?
• 65: THE GOSPELS AS TRAGEDY, COMEDY, AND FAIRY TALE
• 66: WE ARE AT WAR
• 67: DISMISSAL AND CYNICISM
• 68: IN DEFENSE OF DISCONTENT
• 69: ENTERING THE COMPANY OF THE GREAT EXPLORERS
• 70: A NICE GUY
• 71: A BEAUTY WORTH PURSUING
• 72: A PART TOO LARGE
• 73: “HOW LONG, O LORD?”
• 74: YOU MUST FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE
• 75: WHAT IS SEEN IS TEMPORARY, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL
• 76: THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM
• 77: WE ARE AT WAR
• 78: AWKWARD LOVE
• 79: THE WEIGHT OF YOUR GLORY
• 80: WE HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE TO PLAY
• 81: THINK MYTHICALLY
• 82: UNSEEN, UNSOUGHT, AND UNCERTAIN
• 83: THE GREAT STORIES
• 84: YOU HAVE A NEW LIFE
• 85: “DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?”
• 86: THE PROMISE FULFILLED
• 87: THE CROWN OF CREATION
• 88: GOD’S HEART FOR RELATIONSHIP
• 89: REMEMBERING OUR GLORY
• 90: SINCE BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD
• 91: A SPIRITUAL LOBOTOMY
• 92: THE DEPTH OF HIS LOVE
• 93: READY?
• 94: EZER KENEGDO
• 95: We NEED TO KNOW WHO WE ARE
• 96: YOUR DESPERATE HUNGER FOR VALIDATION
• 97: A VEIL OVER YOUR FACE?
• 98: QUALITIES THAT SPEAK OF GOD
• 99: WHY BEAUTY MATTERS
• 100: BEAUTY IS TRANSCENDENT
• 101: IS THIS THE MAN WHO SHOOK THE EARTH?
• 102: A HAUNTING
• 103: REENACTING THE FALL
• 104: THE PROMISES OF GOD
• 105: IN THIS WORLD YOU HAVE TROUBLE
• 106: THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ALL THAT IS FAMILIAR
• 107: MOST OF US HAVE BEEN MISINTERPRETING LIFE
• 108: WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO WE REALLY ARE
• 109: YOUR TRUEST SELF
• 110: EMBRACING THE GLORY
• 111: WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP?
• 112: MISSING THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
• 113: THE MOVEMENTS OF YOUR HEART
• 114: OUR STORY
• 115: RELEASING THE HEART IS NO EASY PROJECT
• 116: JOURNEY OR HOMESTEAD?
• 117: SEEING FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
• 118: WE ARE FACED WITH A DECISION THAT GROWS WITH URGENCY
• 119: TURNING FROM ATTACHMENT TO DESIRE
• 120: THE LOSS OF EVERYTHING THAT MATTERED
• 121: TREATING OUR HEART FOR THE TREASURE IT IS
• 122: THE RETURN OF SPRING
• 123: CAN OUR LIVES BE GREEN AGAIN?
• 124: THAT’S IT? THAT’S THE “GOOD NEWS”?
• 125: EVERYTHING IS AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE
• 126: A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN FORGIVENESS
• 127: THE SOURCE OF ALL OUR HEALING AND ALL OUR STRENGTH
• 128: WE ARE BEING LIED TO ALL THE TIME
• 129: A TIMELESS FORM OF STORYTELLING
• 130: GOD IS WITH US
• 131: ALL MEN DIE; FEW MEN EVER REALLY LIVE
• 132: A HOUSE DIVIDED
• 133: A CIVIL WAR WAGED BETWEEN THE NEW HEART AND THE OLD NATURE
• 134: WE ALL ARE THE BROKENHEARTED
• 135: LET’S FIND IT
• 136: DEPTH, MYSTERY, COMPLEXITY, AND BEAUTY
• 137: WE REALLY ARE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD
• 138: VENTURING FORTH
• 139: MEMORY, IMAGINATION, AND A PASSION FOR GLORY
• 140: A CONVERSATION BETWEEN LOVERS
• 141: THE CONSUMMATION OF THE AFFAIR (WHAT IS WORSHIP, AFTER ALL?)
• 142: A MYSTERY ALMOST TOO GREAT TO MENTION
• 143: MORE AFFECTIONATE LOVER
• 144: BAPTIST RECEPTIONS
• 145: ON MOZART AND MARTHA STEWART
• 146: DO WHATEVER BRINGS YOU BACK TO YOUR HEART AND THE HEART OF GOD
• 147: HONOR WOUNDS
• 148: FAIRY TALES, LITERATURE, MUSIC, AND MOVIES
• 149: WHY DOES EVERY STORY HAVE A VILLAIN?
• 150: SUBTLE ATTACK—LOOKING FOR AGREEMENTS
• 151: THE THIEF WANTS IT ALL
• 152: THERE IS NO ESCAPING THIS WAR
• 153: THE RELIGIOUS SPIRIT
• 154: AS GOOD AS IT GETS?
• 155: OUR PICTURES OF LOVE
• 156: A PLACE PREPARED FOR YOU
• 157: HEAVEN: AN ADVENTURE IN INTIMACY
• 158: SOME LARGER WAY
• 159: A JOURNEY TOWARD HEAVEN
• 160: THE MISERIES OF A DETHRONED MONARCH
• 161: A FULLY RESTORED CREATION
• 162: FIERCE MASTERY
• 163: WE’VE BOUGHT THE LIE
• 164: WOULD YOU TRY TO DO THIS ALONE?
• 165: HERE IS HOPE
• 166: THE OFFER
• 167: LIVING FROM DESIRE
• 168: A HOLY LONGING
• 169: OUR HEART’S CAPACITIES
• 170: BEAUTY AND AFFLICTION
• 171: SURRENDER
• 172: FORGETTING IS NO SMALL PROBLEM
• 173: BE FOREWARNED
• 174: FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE
• 175: OUR SHIMMERING SELF
• 176: THE STORY OF OUR HEART
• 177: THE SOUL’S DEEP THIRST
• 178: THE TIMES OF YOUR LIFE
• 179: THE WORST OF ALL POSSIBLE REACTIONS
• 180: REASON AND EMOTION
• 181: TO LOSE HOPE
• 182: THE LAST WORD
• 183: TRAPPED IN THE PRESENT
• 184: A “PROPOSITIONAL” CHRISTIANITY
• 185: THE WILDNESS OF GOD
• 186: THE QUESTION LODGED DEEP IN OUR HEARTS
• 187: SHOULD THE KING IN EXILE PRETEND HE IS HAPPY?
• 188: WOUNDINGS AND CRIPPLINGS
• 189: SUSPENDED OVER PITS OF SNAKES
• 190: THE LORD IS A WARRIOR!
• 191: FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED
• 192: THE UNWAVERING INTENSITY OF DESIRE
• 193: SET UP FOR DISAPPOINTMENT
• 194: LIFE WITHOUT MY CLOSEST FRIEND
• 195: I WALKED OUT AS SHERIFF WYATT EARP
• 196: What Is Your Image of Jesus AS A MAN?
• 197: ARE YOU THIRSTY?
• 198: ETERNAL LIFE
• 199: IDENTITY IS BESTOWED
• 200: METAPHORS
• 201: WHAT DOES HE WANT FROM US?
• 202: FLABBY WITH SMALL PASSIONS
• 203: IF DEADNESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS
• 204: FIERCE, WILD, AND PASSIONATE
• 205: GOD HAS A BEAUTY TO UNVEIL
• 206: THE TRUE BRIDE
• 207: THE THOUGHT OF BEING CALLED OUT OF HIDING IS UNNERVING
• 208: WHAT DOES EVE SPEAK TO US?
• 209: WE ARE LOVERS
• 210: THE VOICE OF OUR ENEMY
• 211: HE SPURNED GOD’S LOVE AND LOST EVERYTHING
• 212: TO CAPTURE OUR HEART’S DEVOTION
• 213: COUNTING ON OUR VANITY AND BLINDNESS
• 214: IT’S NOT CHRISTIANITY
• 215: HOPE
• 216: DESIGNED TO FLOURISH
• 217: A WEARY AND LONELY WOMAN
• 218: WHAT MAKES THEM HEROES?
• 219: NO GOOD THING?
• 220: THIS IS NOT MY HEART
• 221: BEAUTY IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL
• 222: I WILL GO BEFORE YOU
• 223: THE POWER OF ADDICTION
• 224: TRAP FOR DESIRE
• 225: THE THWARTER
• 226: THE IMPOSTOR
• 227: GOD THWARTS US TO SAVE US
• 228: SIN AND CULTURE
• 229: HEALING THE WOUND
• 230: NAKEDNESS INDEED
• 231: FOLLOWING HIM INTO THE UNKNOWN
• 232: BY WISDOM
• 233: RUSHING THE FIELD
• 234: AND REVELATION
• 235: MISUNDERSTOOD
• 236: WHAT HAS LIFE TAUGHT YOU ABOUT YOUR GOD-GIVEN GLORY?
• 237: DENIAL
• 238: YOU’RE NOT YOURSELF
• 239: JESUS HAS A BODY
• 240: TIME TO FORGIVE OUR FATHERS
• 241: WHAT GOD SEES WHEN HE SEES YOU
• 242: UNTIL WE ARE BROKEN, OUR LIVES WILL BE SELF-CENTERED
• 243: THE STREAM OF HEALING
• 244: “I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK”
• 245: HAUNTED BY EVE
• 246: THE MESSAGES OF OUR WOUNDS AND HOW THEY SHAPED US
• 247: WOUNDED FEMININITY
• 248: MAUI, MANGOES, CABERNET GRAPES, AND HUMMINGBIRDS
• 249: HE GIVES US OUR FREEDOM
• 250: A GENTLE WHISPER
• 251: THE QUIETNESS OF OUR HEARTS
• 252: THE DESERT TRADITION
• 253: AN INTOLERABLE REST
• 254: THE ESSENCE OF REPENTANCE
• 255: A HAPPY ENDING
• 256: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO FIRST?
• 257: EVE’S WOUND
• 258: THE WAY A MAN IS WITH A WOMAN
• 259: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
• 260: BE PRESENT
• 261: OUR CENTRAL SYMBOL
• 262: THE RELIGIOUS SPIRIT
• 263: A BEAUTY THAT CANNOT BE CAPTURED
• 264: WHAT WILL WE DO IN HEAVEN?
• 265: BATTLE AND JOURNEY
• 266: RECOVERING DESIRE
• 267: YOU MUST NOT GO ALONE
• 268: IT MUST BE SMALL
• 269: THE FOUR STREAMS
• 270: IT MUST BE INTIMATE
• 271: IT WILL BE MESSY
• 272: TURNING FROM THE WAYS YOU’VE SOUGHT TO SAVE YOURSELF
• 273: DO NOT GIVE WAY TO FEAR
• 274: WHAT IS IT THAT GOD WANTS FROM YOU?
• 275: FORGETFULNESS
• 276: THE HEART CANNOT LIVE ON FACTS ALONE
• 277: REMEMBERING TOGETHER
• 278: TUNING THE INSTRUMENT
• 279: WHOLE BOX OF CHOCOLATE
• 280: HE THINKS, WILLS, ENJOYS, FEELS, LOVES, DESIRES, AND SUFFERS AS ANY OTHER PERSON
• 281: WORSHIP—THE HEART’S HEALER
• 282: WILLING TO THIRST
• 283: AN INSATIABLE DESIRE
• 284: WHAT HOPE FEELS LIKE
• 285: WAITING
• 286: AS AN ACT OF LOVE
• 287: AS AN ACT OF DEVOTION
• 288: TAKE HEART
• 289: WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON HERE?
• 290: THE SORT OF TALE YOU’VE FALLEN INTO
• 291: WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN THE STORY?
• 292: YOU HAVE BEEN RANSOMED BY CHRIST
• 293: YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR QUESTION TO ADAM
• 294: IT’S NEVER ENOUGH
• 295: HOW DOES A WOMAN LOVE A MAN?
• 296: THREE INTERWOVEN PARTS
• 297: WHAT WILL WE CLING TO?
• 298: REMINDERS OF THE STORY
• 299: THE LONGING TO BELONG
• 300: LOVE IS CHOSEN
• 301: INTENTIONALLY HOLDING ON TO THE TRUTH
• 302: THE MEADOWLARK
• 303: INTO THE UNKNOWN
• 304: SLEEPWALKING THROUGH LIFE
• 305: THE OFFER IS LIFE
• 306: LIVING IN NARRATIVE
• 307: MISTAKING THE WATER HOLE FOR THE SEA
• 308: SEEING WITH THE HEART
• 309: WE LIVE IN A DRAMATIC, DANGEROUS STORY
• 310: THE GLORIOUS FREEDOM
• 311: “IT WAS THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE”
• 312: THERE IS LIFE AND JOY
• 313: IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
• 314: NO MAN IS AN ISLAND
• 315: DARE WE COME ALIVE?
• 316: SHE’LL MAKE YOU WANT TO CHARGE THE CASTLE
• 317: THE FEMININE HEART
• 318: AN INVITATION TO LEAP FROM THE FALLS
• 319: A GOSPEL OF SIN MANAGEMENT
• 320: WE NEED LIFE
• 321: PANTING
• 322: WE SHOULDN’T BE FOOLED BY APPEARANCES
• 323: THE POWER OF A WOMAN’S LIFE
• 324: GLORIOUS RUINS
• 325: PRAYERS AND PLEADINGS
• 326: EMBARRASSED BY DESIRE?
• 327: RULED BY THE DESIRES OF OTHERS
• 328: THE ROOT OF JOY
• 329: THE BIGGEST AFRICAN LION I’VE EVER SEEN
• 330: THE LAST ADAM, THE SECOND MAN
• 331: PARENTS WILL OFTEN WONDER . . .
• 332: “I WILL REMOVE YOUR HEART OF STONE”
• 333: YOUR HEART HAS BEEN SET FREE
• 334: “I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART”
• 335: ROMANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS— THE ANSWER TO LONELINESS
• 336: A STORY NOT AS DANGEROUS
• 337: DRAWN INTO DEEPER COMMUNION
• 338: MODERATION AND A CLARITY THAT NEVER COMES
• 339: THE STORY OF CINDERELLA TURNS UPON AN INVITATION
• 340: THE ASSAULT ON OUR DESIRE
• 341: THE FINAL BURDEN OF REMEMBRANCE
• 342: THIS SCENE WE’RE LIVING IN IS NO SITCOM
• 343: HIS CHILD; HIS REFLECTION; HIS LIKENESS
• 344: LOOKING FOR A GLORY WE KNOW WE WERE MEANT TO HAVE
• 345: THE FEAST OF CRISPIAN
• 346: BEAUTY TO UNVEIL
• 347: HAVE YOU SEEN ONE PAINTING OF A NAKED MAN?
• 348: HER HEART IS CAPTURED
• 349: DEATH IS NEVER NATURAL
• 350: WE CAN ONLY HOPE FOR WHAT WE DESIRE
• 351: REVELATION: LISTENING FOR HIS VOICE
• 352: PAY ATTENTION
• 353: THE STREAM OF COUNSELING
• 354: I WONDER WHAT GOD IS UP TO?
• 355: REVIEWING WHAT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED
• 356: EXPECTING GREAT THINGS
• 357: MAN AND WOMAN BECOMING ONE
• 358: THE WARRIOR HEART
• 359: THE TRAITOR WITHIN
• 360: THE REALYOU
• 361: WALKING WITH GOD
• 362: A SPECIAL HATRED
• 363: OUR SITUATION
• 364: AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE
• 365: THIS IS OUR FUTURE
• PRAYERS
• ABOUT THE AUTHOR
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS