Title: 66 Love Letters, From God To You
Author: Dr. Larry Crabb
ISBN: 0849919665
Timing for a book can be everything...and when this book showed up in my mailbox on the first day of Lent, it got such a powerful shot at my mind. It could be that it is Lent...it could be that my heart is on such a deep journey to discover His voice anew...but whatever it is, I can honestly say that this is one of the best "christian thought" books that I have picked up in a very, very long time.
Dr. Crabb wrote this book after a late night "I can't fall asleep so I guess I will talk to You" session with God and what came out of it was amazing, in my opinion. He spends each chapter of the book forming the "point" of the 66 books of the Bible into love letters, written in God's voice...sharing His heartbeat and His reasons for choosing the stories and events that He did.
Today's love letter is from Deuteronomy and while I never would have found this connection, I found myself trying to wrap my mind around the simple truth laid out:
"Love has no meaning unless it remains alive when the one you claim to love seems distant and unresponsive."
I know for me, I expect Him to move when I look for Him...I assume He will answer verbally when I cry out...I can take for granted the miracle of my relationship with Him. But when He chooses to be invisible to my eyes...and silent to my mind...when He chooses, for whatever reason, to love "from afar", I struggle and I fight, uncomfortable in the lack of response.
It might be because it is Lent...and it might be because I am so desperate for His presence...but this book gets two very high thumbs up from my heart, my mind and my spirit.
Cover Information:
Dr. Larry Crabb knows that if we could see the larger story of God and humanity, our world would never be the same. That story is found in large part in the sixty-six letters of the Bible.
Written in a conversational first person, as if God is speaking directly to us, Dr. Crabb looks at each individual book in scripture and boils it down to a one- or two-sentence message to us from that particular book. He then unpacks each sentence in a short chapter answering the question, What does God want me to hear from this love letter? The book's epilogue then fits all sixty-six pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together into one coherent paragraph and reveals the beautiful picture of what God has been about since the creation of the world. Far from being comprehensive, this is a personal approach to helping readers know God and his great love for them, his message for all mankind, and how their lives fit into His larger story.
...just get it. It's that good.
**Thomas Nelson provided me this book for review purposes & is allowing me to keep this title once finished. I get no other compensation...other than the chance to fill my heart and soul with an excellent read. :) **
Looking up as always...
6 comments:
Looks like a great book!I may need to sign up for that one! :)
Glad God is speaking to you in so many ways! :O)
www.dianeestrella.com
OOOH. I wanna read that one. :)
I saw this in Lifeway last week and wanted it! Hope my church library gets it in soon. Thanks for the review and the two thumbs up to let me know it is a worthwhile read.
'Larry Crabb' really jumps out at me, not sure why. I know I heard that name somewhere. This sounds like a sweet new way to have quality God time. Gonna check it out!
Interesting idea. I heard something the other day you might relate to. Someone said they didn't feel as close to God as they used to. And the other guy likened it to a growing child. You don't jump and feed your 10 year old kid when he says he's hungry. You tell him to go get something to eat, himself. You have taught him to feed himself. That is like God. When we need Him, He isn't necessarily going to come running. He has taught us how to feed ourselves by searching His Word. Anyway, that is my thought for the day...just for you. :) By the way I have been meaning to email you back and kept putting it off. I will do it TODAY. :) And yes, you've been missed.
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