Books For Everyday Life - reviews by Fiona Lloyd
‘Seeking intimacy with God is not just a nice thing to do. It is necessary if we are to be fulfilled at the core of our being.’ So writes Joseph M. Stowell in his devotional, Strength for the Journey. It’s a phrase that resonates; a reminder that relationship with God is the ultimate goal of human existence.
Strength for the Journey is a re-issue of a devotional first published around twenty years ago. There is a page for each day of the year, most of which are taken up with a verse from the Bible followed by Stowell’s thoughts on the passage. Each of these then ends with a prayer or a thought to take away. (The other days feature a selection of psalms.)
It’s an easy book to use as a regular devotional, partly because the readings are relatively short. However, Stowell manages to pack a hefty punch into his words. The verses he has chosen (and the meditations that support them) are a daily pointer to the sovereignty of God in our lives, and the importance of pursuing him above all else. Many of the questions will take some wrestling with but – with perseverance – will help the believer to grow in Christ.
Unashamed, by Tracy Williamson, continues this exploration of the notion of intimacy with God. The subtitle is ‘Discovering the healing power of God’s love for your wounded soul’, which is a perfect summation of the overarching theme of the book. Williamson writes out of the depth of her own experience, which is what makes this book such a powerful read. By sharing her own struggles and vulnerabilities – along with the testimonies of others – she points to the God who can transform our situation.
This book is very much aimed at those who feel bruised and broken by their experiences (probably most of us, if we’re honest), and reminds us that God is with us in the midst of our difficulties. The author covers topics such as fear and rejection, encouraging the reader to call upon the God who delights to heal and restore. Poems, prophecies and parables are included to consider together with the main chapters.
The danger with this type of book is that it becomes a type of quick-fix manual, but Williamson deftly avoids this temptation. Unashamed is written in a spirit of gentleness and compassion, and with a frank acknowledgement that many of us have been wounded and damaged by life. Instead of a list of answers, Williamson provides open-ended questions to help us reflect on our past and on how God can help us. A book to read slowly and prayerfully.
Malcolm Macdonald, author of Saturated with God, has nurtured a lifelong passion to see revival in the UK church. I found this a challenging book to read, and yet it sits well alongside my first two choices. Macdonald understands that allowing ourselves to be transformed by God’s love should result in an overflow of that same love to those around us.
Saturated with God is divided into three sections. The first asks why we are not seeing revival today, and the answer makes for uncomfortable reading. Macdonald suggests that in many areas the Church has become apathetic and compromised, noting that ‘A dehydrated and self-reliant Church is no answer to a lost and parched world.’
The second part turns to the issue of what revival might look like, focusing on the power of the gospel to transform and heal communities. The author underlines the necessity of keeping Christ at the centre and trusting the Holy Spirit to help us with this.
For those who are stirred by Macdonald’s vision, the last section – exploring how we can cultivate revival in our everyday lives – is particularly useful. He looks at practices that can help us develop spiritually so that renewal can take place first of all in our own hearts. While many of these are not surprising – prayer and holiness, for example – Macdonald shines fresh light on these by linking them back to faithful Christians who lived through previous revivals. Their testimonies are inspiring.
I will leave the final words to Macdonald: ‘Soul-thirst is needed again today … We can only find the living water through Jesus.'
Together Magazine
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