Book Review

The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God
D. A. Carson
Crossway Books
84 Pages

I just finished reading The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D. A. Carson. It was incredible, and I recommend you add it to the top of you "must read" list.

The title may catch you off guard, because we often think of the love of God as a doctrine that is easy to grasp. "God is love" (1 John 4:8) seems pretty simple and straightforward. But when you look deeper, the love of God can be difficult to understand. Dr. Carson does a phenomenal job of walking the reader though the five different ways God shows His love in the Bible and the way His love is intimately tied to other elements of His character such as justice, holiness, and sovereignty. Carson also emphasizes that to hold to any one expression of God's love disproportionate to the others will hinder correct thinking about God's character.

The book is only 84 pages but is loaded with truth on every page. I found it extremely helpful in the way I think about God and His love; I think you will also. It is definitely worth reading.

A Poem for Hardship

I wrote this poem for my friend as she went through an incredible hardship related to her mom's health.

God's Light Shines

Where do you turn when you are hit

With something so unexpected?

One moment everything is great

But next come words that you hate

To hear, words that are injected

With this: The world is an obit.

“Something is wrong!” the world screams,

And times like these bring that into

Clearer focus. This reminds one

Of the groanings of creation

Waiting for all to be made new.

Sometimes life seems like our worst dreams.

But in the midst of oppressive

Darkness, there shines forth a light that

Will not fade from the believers

View. Even though he a griever

Be, with emotions that are matte,

God’s light shines, greater joy to give.

That greater joy is found in Christ

And the knowledge that his sovereign

Goodness labors to magnify

His name and cause us to rely

On Him. Only there does our ken

Expand to find joy in any price.