Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

www.biblegateway.com


Friday, December 21, 2012

Grace Book Review

More Than We Deserve
Greater Than We Imagine

SUMMARY:  We talk as though we understand the term.  The bank gives us a grace period.  The seedy politician falls from grace.  Musicians speak of a grace note.  We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful.  We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and premeal prayers.  We talk as though we know what grace means.
    But do we really understand it?  Have we settled for wimpy grace?  It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign.  Never causes trouble or demands a response.  When asked, "Do you believe in grace?" who could say no?
     Max Lucado asks a deeper question:  Have you been changed by grace?  Shaped by grace?  Strengthened by grace?  Emboldened by grace?  Softened by grace?  Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace?
     God's grace has a drenching about it.  A wildness about it.  A white-water, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it.  Grace comes after you.  It rewires you.  From insecure to God secure.  From regret-riddled to better-because-of-it.  From afraid-to-die to ready-to-fly.
     Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off.
     Let's make certain grace gets you.

REVIEW:  This review has been one of my hardest to write.  In typical Max Lucado fashion, he takes a difficult and very deep subject and makes it easier to understand, interjecting stories and using examples to show how grace works. But, trying to explain the intricacies of the meaning of grace without retelling the whole book is proving difficult.
      One story that sticks with me that shows this wonderful attribute of God is the story about Heather Sample and her father Kyle Sheets.  They were treating AIDS patients in Zimbabwe when Kyle was exposed.  The treatment to prevent HIV infection was life threatening and made him violently ill.  On the flight home, Kyle took a turn for the worse and Heather convinced the pilots to take the fastest flight home to the States.  Heather was praying for help and crying when four passengers asked if they could help.  They were just a few of the 100 other doctors on board.  One of the physicians was an infectious disease doctor top in his field.  They offered to watch her father and pray for him while Heather got some rest.  When she woke up, her father was still very sick but much stronger and standing and talking to the other doctors.  Heather saw God's hand at work by placing them with the right people and on the right plane at just the right time.  God knew their need and met them there with grace.  Just like He knows your needs and will meet you with grace, wherever you are.
     This is an outstanding book that I recommend for anyone and everyone looking to fully understand the whole concept and idea of grace.

This book was provided by Booksneeze/Thomas Nelson Publishers for review without compensation.

 Max Lucado is one of America's favorite writers with more than 100 million products in print.  He serves the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.