Following in His Steps

Therefore, when He takes us by the hand to lead us, let us not refuse Him or withdraw our hand, but-just like Abraham-let us follow Him wherever He may call us.
-Pierre Viret

From a pastor's pen come thirty meditations on the person and work of our glorious God and the believer's walk with Him. Gentle, profound, and heart-searching, these daily readings will inspire and challenge as they edify and strengthen. Engaging the heart and encouraging the will to press forward in the good fight of faith, Pierre Viret calls his readers to bask in the love of their marvelous Savior and rest in the wise providence of an all-powerful God.

In times of peace or affliction, joy or despair, these readings offer hope for the morrow and strength for the day at hand.

Perfect for personal devotions or family worship

The thirty devotions that form this book have been collected from various writings of the Swiss Reformer Pierre Viret. Born in 1511, Viret was raised in a devout Roman Catholic home and came to the Reformed faith at about twenty years old. He was forcefully urged to begin preaching by William Farel, who later used the same forcefulness to persuade John Calvin to remain in Geneva.

Viret and Farel worked together for many years to bring the Reformation to French Switzerland. At twenty-five years of age, Viret was appointed pastor of the Reformed church in Lausanne. He continued in this role for over twenty years, after which he was banished from his homeland for refusing to surrender the church to the dictates of the civil magistrate.

Viret spent several years teaching with Calvin in Geneva. He afterward moved to France and preached throughout the cities of that kingdom. He spent his final years in France due to his health, dying in 1571.

Throughout his life, Viret wrote prolifically. He authored over fifty books, many of which have been translated into the English language. His writing was popular in his day, being sought after by layman and theologian alike. Calvin himself used Viret's commentary of the Ten Commandments from the pulpit when he preached through the Decalogue in his sermons on Deuteronomy.

The chapters that comprise this little volume have been taken from six of Viret's larger writings, including Epistres aus fideles, pour les instruire et les admonester et exhorter touchant leur office, et pour les consoler en leurs tribulations; L'Exposition du symbole des apostres contenant la declaration des articles de la Foy; Exposition familiere sur les Dix Commandemens de la Loy, faite en forme de Dialogues; L'Interim fait par dialogues; Exposition de l'Oraison de nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ; and Instruction Chrestienne en la doctrine de la loy et de l'Evangile. Viret's text has been abridged and occasionally modified to assist the reader in grasping his meaning within the smaller passages removed from their larger contexts.

Several of the above works have been translated and are available in the English language under the titles: Letters of Comfort to the Persecuted Church; Anchor of the Soul: An Exposition of the Apostles Creed; Exposition of the Ten Commandments (two volumes); and A Simple Exposition of the Christian Faith.