Grace

This is the best book on grace that I’ve ever read - before I even reached page 10, my eyes welled with tears at Max Lucado’s beautiful portrayal of God’s grace in his page-turning book Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine.  Once I started, I couldn’t put it down.

Grace is a common religious term, but have we settled for a wimpy grace? Max Lucado urges us to remember that grace is more verb than noun, more present than past, not just something that happened but something that happens. He says, “Grace is simply another word for God’s tumbling, rumbling reservoir of strength and protection. It comes at us not occasionally or miserly but constantly and aggressively, wave upon wave.”  (p.99)

Grace is comprised of 12 chapters painting a multi-faceted picture of grace through artfully portrayed Bible stories, life stories, examples and sprinkles of Scripture from a variety of modern translations.  A Reader’s Guide in the back of the book consists of searching Bible passages, Bible study questions, discussion questions, and prayer.

In the first chapter, Lucado shows how grace shapes us, changes us, transforms us, but it doesn’t happen overnight.  It comes in fits and spurts with periodic breakthroughs. “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.” (p. 8)

In the following chapters, Lucado wants us to understand grace from different angles. God stoops lovingly to give us a grace that frees us and changes us.  He exchanged our punishment for the righteousness of Jesus, giving us the credit for His perfection.

Grace isn’t granted based on doing more or being more.  God works wonders with our messes. Grace conquers fear. Grace helps us forgive. Grace chooses and adopts us and gives us assurance of heaven.

Grace doesn’t stop with us.  The grace-given give grace. “Grace is not blind. It sees the hurt full well. But grace chooses to see God’s forgiveness even more.” (p. 61)

This book is for the one who is wounded, or never feels good enough, or messed up too much, or fluctuates between devoted strength and floundering weakness, or for someone who just wants a better understanding of how rich and immense God’s grace is.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing in exchange for my honest review.