Book Review: He Chose the Nails (Lucado)

Max Lucado has been a favourite writer of devotional material for Christians for decades. He Chose the Nails: What God Did to Win Your Heart will not disappoint long-time Lucado readers and would be an excellent starting book for those who have never read his writing.

I must admit that, though I have always enjoyed a bit of Max Lucado, I was a little hesitant to tackle the whole book. I just wasn't sure that I could take syrupy, tear-jerking stories. But, when I laughed out loud in the first chapter, that let me know I was going to enjoy this book. In the very first paragraph, Lucado describes a man trying to buy a Christmas present for his wife. Before the end of the first page, he passes on the sage advice that his father gave him about such a dilemma:

"There will come a time," he said solemnly, "when a salesperson will offer to help you. At that moment, take a deep breath and say this phrase, 'Es-tée Lau-der.'"

I'm reading this in the car and am almost rolling in the floor laughing so hard — I certainly would have except that I'm a bit large for rolling in the car floor. I'm hooked.

Lucado uses this story to introduce how lavishly God gives to us and how God's gifts shed light on God's heart, God's good and generous heart.

In He Chose the Nails, Lucado reminds us of what God did through Jesus to provide salvation for us. We certainly don't deserve God's love or His provision of salvation. Lucado provides abundant examples of how we have fallen short. However, God in Christ chose the cross and Lucado also provides abundant evidence of how hard a choice that was. Chapter two is subtitled, God's Promise in the Soldier's Spit. How can you resist that? Lucado talks about how the Roman soldiers treated Jesus once he was sentenced. The soldiers wanted blood.

So they scourged Jesus. The legionnaire's whip consisted of leather straps with lead balls on each end. His goal was singular: beat the accused within an inch of his death and then stop ... No doubt Jesus was near death when his hands were untied.

 Each subsequent chapter looks at a different aspect of Jesus' suffering, his crucifixion, and his resurrection and how God demonstrated His desire to save us. It is a powerful, provocative, piercing reminder of our need for and God's provision of salvation.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers' program . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

It's Not All the Same

While I've never tried to hide my most deeply held convictions on this blog, neither have I tried to regularly use it as a forum for discussing those beliefs. But, I read a blog post by Dr. Al Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, that touched those convictions in a positive way and felt the need to post about it.

Up front, let me acknowledge that there are all kinds of examples of individuals, groups, and movements that claim to represent biblical Christianity that are an embarrassment to the name of Jesus because of what they propound. There are many, even within the group with which I'm intimately identified, who hold biblical beliefs but who express those in ways that are unChristlike. I am also sure that there have been times -- probably more than I care to acknowledge -- when I have fallen into one or the other of those camps. None of that is a surprise to me because there is no perfect person, not even the most saintly of Christians. While I would plead with people to judge Christianity based on Jesus alone, it is natural that Christianity is judged by the words, actions, and attitudes of (less-than-perfect) professed followers of Jesus.

One of the most foundational tenets of Christianity is Jesus' claim to exclusivity found in John 14:6 -- Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. In many ways, that single statement -- two short sentences -- sums up the entire message of the Bible. It is the motivator behind the desire of Christians to share the good news (gospel) of Jesus with their friends and neighbors and people around the world. We hold that statement as immutable, absolute truth. Or do we?

In his blog today, Dr. Mohler says that maybe there are many who are changing. The fact that many people are changing and perhaps moving away from that doesn't change the truthfulness of that foundational belief. Absolute truth is not dependent on the whims of a majority vote -- it just is, even if no one accepts it as truth.

Here's what Dr. Mohler had to say: Are We a Nation of Hindus?

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Run (and live) well, y'all,
Bob
(1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

It's About the Cross

On Christmas Eve, I attended the evening worship service with my parents and most of my brothers, sisters and their families. We participated in the Lord's Supper as a family. It was pretty moving.

One interesting element of the service was a short worship video featuring a song by a group that was new to me, Go Fish. I don't think I fully agree with the theme of the song -- that Christmas is all about the end of the story, Christ's death on the cross. Christ's death is the most important event but His birth is extremely important. God incarnate is an incredible thing. Christ gave up His glory to accommodate himself to us -- He became one of us, He stooped to our level, He spoke our language, He lived our lives! I'm sure we could discuss that topic (the importance of the incarnation versus substitutionary death) for a long, long time. The video is thought provoking -- enjoy and think:



Happy New Year,
Bob