We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a "grace" period. The seedy politician falls from "grace." Musicians speak of a "grace" note. We describe an actress as "gracious," a dancer as "graceful." We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and pre-meal prayers. We talk as though we know what "grace" means.
Grace is also the title of Max Lucado's latest best-seller. I have been a fan of his writing for many years, so I knew to expect a book that would touch my heart and deepen my understanding of a topic that some find difficult to understand. This isn't my favorite of his many books, but I was by no means disappointed. In fact, once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Max has a way of simplifying a topic in a way that makes it easier to understand, and punctuates his illustrations with anecdotal material that further illuminates.
Grace is defined as the love and mercy given to us by God because God wants us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it. But that is still hard for some of us to understand, especially if you were raised that good behavior is rewarded. So, I really love the subtitle of the book: "More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine". Max stresses the point that we are adopted into God's family and accepted...despite our faults. One story in particular stood out to me about a child who was separated from her family, yet reunited with them years later. We may wander, but God's grace calls us back Home to Him. His love and mercy give us a strength we wouldn't have on our own.
In summary, this isn't my favorite, but it is a good solid book that I would recommend to anyone. His style is very appealing to one who wants a basic grasp and a down-to-earth look at grace (or any of his other topics). Also, I love that he includes a Reader's Guide in this book (as usual) for those who want to do a more indepth study.
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