Monday, September 20, 2010

Book Review: Searching for a God to Love


Searching for a God to Love
author: Chris Blake

The Overview: 
A look at faith for what it is...faith...a trust in something that we don't understand fully and probably never will. This book provides reasons and examples for us to know that a faith in God is not ridiculous. It makes sense:
  • We have a loving God who sees justice as mercy
  • We have a world around us that testifies to a Creative power as well as paints a vivid picture that this is not our home or the way God planned things to be
  • We see what love can do in our very own lives
Non of these ideas are new to anyone who has sat in a pew once a week their entire lives. But Chris Blake uses wit, life experience, and the thoughts of great scholars, authors, and regular Joe Smith to show that questions are good, yearning is great, and coming to terms with a faith that is honest is best of all.


The Good:
Before each chapter there are a page of quotes that pertain to the coming chapter. I am a sucker for quotes. Here were a few of my favorite... 

"I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness, and willingness to remain vulnerable."  (Anne Morrow Lindbergh) 
"In all my years in art, nothing is more artistic than loving people." (Vincent Van Gogh) 
"If you're coming to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let's work together." (Aboriginal woman from Australia) 
"It is an old and ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way." (Rollo May) 
"Of what use is immortality to a man who has not learned to live half an hour? (R. W. Emerson)
"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'They will be done.' " (C.S. Lewis) 
"To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven." (Jesus)


The Bad:
The chapters are REALLY long. I am a short chapters even if that means more of them kind of person.


The Memorable:
Chapter 6 - A Path of Astonishment
A walk with Jesus through the last few days of His life on earth. Real. Honest. Love. A story...where human and divine struggle...to save me.

The Recommendation: 
Those who are searching for God are not likely to want others to come to conclusions for them. The search needs to be personal or it won't mean anything, but this book isn't trying to make conclusions for us. It shows why we are searching and gives us hope that our search will not be in vain.

4 comments:

chelsea said...

This is a good book. I read it several years ago when a boy I liked recommended it to me. I couldn't put it down. And chapter six made me weep.

Nicholas said...

ok. fine. i'll read it then.

Christoffer said...

It seems to me that the book is okay, readable to be sure, but nothing spectacular perhaps. BUT IT HAD GOOD QUOTES!!!! haha, awesome... i love it.

Unknown said...

Just finished reading the book tonight and I loved it. I agree the chapters are kind of long and I think that's why it took me so long to read but it was worth it. I honestly loved all the chapters. but I think my favorite chapters were four and nine. In chapter four,"Freedom's Mortgage Payments" the quote, "freedom is sacred to God" really stuck out in my mind. It helped me understand on a deeper level why suffering reigns. God would rather have us nasty, wicked and rotten to the core and be free moral agents, than have us perfect but without freedom! Chapter 9, the last chapter was beautiful. I loved he ended the book it was everything I expected. His outlook on heaven took my breath away and made me consider things I never thought of before. Overall, I would DEFIANTLY recommend reading it.