Sunday, April 15, 2012

He Chose the Nails

I requested this book with Easter in mind, thinking it might make a good reflection for the week. Although I had to wait to read it, the message is still timely—perhaps more so for reminding us that the cross is significant no matter what the season. Max Lucado’s writing style is engaging, easy to read and rich with details. It felt like a series of movie close-ups, each moving focusing on a different detail: the vinegar-soaked sponge, the torn robe, the crown of thorns. I had to force myself to slow down, to focus on the significance of each element.
While other Max Lucado books focus on challenging circumstances or lessons to be lived out in the Christian walk, this book serves more as a devotional to those who want to see the cross with fresh eyes. It’s too easy to ignore that the cross was an instrument of prolonged, agonizing execution (the word ‘excruciating’ literally means ‘out of the cross’). While I would not recommend this book for children, I think teenagers could read this and walk away with a greater understanding and appreciation of what Christ suffered for us.
I received a free copy of this book through Thomas Nelson’s Booksneeze program but was not obligated to write a positive review.

No comments:

Post a Comment