Devotional resources

Review: The Well That Washes What It Shows

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Cover image of "The Well That Washes What It Shows" by Jonathan A. Linebaugh

The Well That Washes What It Shows

The Well That Washes What It Shows, Jonathan A. Linebaugh. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885487) 2025.

Summary: An invitation introducing the Bible as both revealing human sin and God’s cleansing work in Christ.

This was one book that had my attention from the very title. What an interesting image: the well that washes what it shows! I can see a well serving to wash something. But how does a well show? I found a clue in the George Herbert poem “The Holy Scriptures I,” from which this phrase is drawn. The preceding line says “That mends the lookers eyes: this is the well/That washes what it shows.”

What Herbert is saying and Linebaugh as well, is that scripture both opens our eyes to our sin but also offers the blessed assurance of God’s cleansing love, poured out in Christ. For Linebaugh, this is the story and shape that defines Holy Scripture. In this introduction to reading the scriptures, he will trace this idea from Genesis to Revelation

The book devotes three chapters each to the Old Testament and the New Testament. Then Linebaugh devotes a chapter to a study of Romans, bringing together theological, historical, exegetical, and devotional concerns. Finally, he explores the question of how scripture may be a comfort to one.

His approach to the Old Testament is to follow the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible: the Law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi’im), and the Writings (Ketuvim). He briefly highlights themes of each book, offers helpful charts, timelines, and maps. He features the shift in Genesis from the world to a single family, that of Abraham and the themes of obedience and blessing and disobedience and curse in Deuteronomy. Linebaugh then traces the failure of Israel in the Prophets and Writings. Also, he shows God’s promises to restore despite their sin.

Turning to the New Testament, the three chapters in this section treat the Gospels, Acts and the Pauline letters, and Hebrews to Revelation. Again, he offers brief summaries and helpful charts. For example, he charts the parallels between Israel’s history and the life of Jesus. Then he shows the distinctive focus of each gospel. With Acts and Paul’s letters, he draws out the apostolic and pastoral pattern of Paul’s work. The section on Hebrews to Revelation focuses on the two longest books that bookend this collection. Specifically, in Hebrews he focuses on the confession of Jesus Christ–>Warning and Judgement–>Confession of Jesus Christ pattern. Then in Revelation, he emphasizes the “unveiling” aspect of the book, specifically the unveiling of the Lamb and his victory. Linebaugh notes scripture’s wonderful bookends of garden, river, and tree of life in Genesis and Revelation!

His study of Romans underscores both the disclosure of human sin and the redemptive work of Christ, even through the pain of Israel’s current rejection, opening the way to the Gentiles but ultimately offering hope for all. He concludes with how those who have been renewed should live, shaped by the word, through faith expressed in love. Linebaugh’s final chapter explores how we may minister comfort through this word as we seek to understand:

  • Who we are ministering to
  • Which word they need, that of showing or washing
  • What we may say as we listen to the Word, the person, and our own lives.

What set this book apart from other biblical introductions for me was first of all the clear theme Linebaugh traces through scripture. In addition, I found his concise overviews helpful in not overwhelming new readers with a mass of detail. Finally, Linebaugh’s writing is accessible, yet literate, and filled with the grandeur of its subject. One senses that this is a man captivated with Holy Scripture who would be delighted if we shared that love.

Thus, this is a book filled with pastoral insight for those who care for God’s people. Equally, it is an inviting resource for those new to scripture. It’s clear that Linebaugh loves to tell the story of “the well that washes what it shows.”

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Evelyn Underhill’s Prayer Book

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Cover imaged of "Evelyn Underhill's Prayer Book" edited by Robyn Wrigley-Carr

Evelyn Underhill’s Prayer Book, Evelyn Underhill, edited by Robyn Wrigley-Carr, foreword by Eugene Peterson. SPCK (ISBN: 9780281078738) 2018.

Summary: Prayers compiled in two books by Evelyn Underhill for retreats she conducted, edited into a compact edition.

Evelyn Underhill was an Anglo-Catholic who wrote extensively on mysticism and the spiritual life. Her favorite retreat site was Pleshey and in the 1920’s and 1930’s she conducted a number of retreats there. As part of her preparation, from the years of 1924 to 1938, she compiled two handwritten books of prayers for her use as she led prayers.

These books disappeared after her death. Then Underhill scholar Robyn Wrigley-Carr came across a leather bound volume of handwritten prayers during a visit at Pleshey in 2016. What she had discovered was the second of the two books, consisting of prayers compiled between 1929 and 1938. Returning to check her copy against the original, she discovered that the first volume had been found, with prayers from 1924-1928. This led to her creating a single volume edition, preserving the numbering and index system created by Underhill.

Underhill draws many of the prayers from spiritual writers from the third to twentieth century. In the introduction, Wrigley-Carr notes the influence of Friedrich von Hugel on Underhill, particularly in the writers he recommended. As a result, her prayers draw on these writers.. Wrigley-Carr includes a list by century in the introduction and offers brief author biographies in the back by order of their appearance. Examples of writer range from Augustine to AEthelwold of Winchester, John Donne, John Henry Newman, and Christina Rosetti.

In addition, Underhill wrote many of the prayers herself, especially in the second part of the work, beginning with prayer number 68. Names of authors appear after their prayers. However prayers without attribution are Underhill’s. She also draws from various church liturgies including the Book of Common Prayer.

The prayers cover a wide range of subjects, from praise of God to consecration of oneself to intercession for others, including the ill, the dying, and our communion with the saints in glory. An index combining the two volumes, following Underhill’s indexing, appears in the after matter.

The work serves as a wonderful introduction to the prayers of great spiritual writers through the ages. It was a delight to encounter the prayers of Launcelot Andrews. For example, this Benediction:

The power of the Father guide and guard us.
The wisdom of the Son, enlighten us.
The working of the Spirit, quicken us.
Guard our souls. Strengthen our bodies.
Our senses, refine; our conduct correct; our characters, set in tune.

Bless our actions; perfect our prayers; breath into us holy thoughts.
Our sins that are past, forgive, our present sins, amend, and future sins, prevent.
   Unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, far beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us: to him be glory in the Church in Christ unto all generations.

Likewise, I found Underhill’s prayers equally rich. For instance consider this prayer of consecration (#131):

O blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who bid your disciples stand with their loins gird and their lamps burning, be with us at this hour. Here we dedicate ourselves to you anew. Help us to run the race that is set before us with redoubled vigour and fresh vision. Teach us how to trim our lamps that they may not burn dim. Guide us to the constant recollection that the candle of the Lord is the Spirit of humanity. And by Your risen power, make us a power for you in this place, for Your own name’s sake.

This is a treasure rediscovered. Certainly, this is a wonderful resource for our personal life of prayer. We often grope for words to express our heart’s longings. Likewise, this book, so compact, makes a wonderful resource to take on retreat. Finally, retreat leaders will find this a rich resource of prayers for retreatants as will those who plan worship services.