This latest book by Brennan Manning is simple and beautiful in its expression of God’s love. The message he so poetically portrays is one that you will want to read deeply and repeatedly. No matter what page or chapter you turn to, Brennan’s words will quickly draw you in to the heart and passion of relentless, furious, Love.
“God Almighty shares through His Son the depth of His feelings for me, His love flashes into my soul, and I am overtaken by mystery. These are moments of kairos — the decisive inbreak of God’s fury into my personal life’s story.”
Living loved:
“How is it then that we’ve come to imagine that Christianity consists primarily in what we do for God?”
“Our religion never begins with what we do for God. It always starts with what God has done for us, the great and wondrous things that God dreamed of and achieved for us in Christ Jesus.”
Reflecting love:
“I’ve decided that if I had my life to live over again,…I would devote not one more minute to monitoring my spiritual growth.”
“What would I actually do if I had it to do all over again? Heeding John’s counsel, I would simply do the next thing in love.”
Loving others:
“To affirm a person is to see the good in them that they cannot see in themselves and to repeat it in spite of appearances to the contrary.”
“This is not some Pollyanna optimism that is blind to the reality of evil, but rather like a fine radar system that is tuned in to the true, the good, and the beautiful.”
This is just a small sample of the love story shared in the pages of this short book. It is a book that you will want to leave on your coffee table, to share with others, and to give as gifts, knowing that as you share the book, you are sharing the most important truth there is, “Abba, I belong to you.”
(This book was a selection for review from the ooze viral blogger network.)
kingdom grace 
Here’s the review I posted on Amazon:
For assorted reasons sometimes we get knocked off track spiritually. This might be due to frustrations in life, poor teaching we’ve received, long periods in the wilderness, or even success and blessings causing us to lose our focus.
Even those of us who have been Christians for a long while, even those of us who have been well-trained in the faith, even those of us who have struggled long in ministry can encounter long seasons where we seem to forget what is most vital.
There are a lot of books out there offering new methods and new approaches, often giving long descriptions or lists of what to do in response. And there are a lot of books that offer a glass of milk, handing over all too simplistic teaching that might help in a moment for those who are young in the faith, but doesn’t quite satisfy for long.
For those who are tired and weary and maybe even a little lost it is important to be reminded of who Christ is, what he has done, and who he calls us to be. Not in complex theology, nor with simplistic slogans.
Brennan Manning has written that book. In the Furious Longing of God he writes simply and directly, giving pointed reminders of absolute Scriptural truths, often sharing a story to go with such truths. It is never watered down, but it is also not made more complicated than it should be.
We are reminded that God seeks us, and from that seeking our lives become aligned with him, for him, alongside his wonderful works of love.
This isn’t a book that gives lengthy analysis or would satisfy a deep need for more substantial spiritual training. There are other books for that.
This is a book for those who need a quick and potent reminder, to be encouraged or to be refocused on what is true and what matters.
I needed just that, and no doubt I will need such a reminder again as I continue the journey with God.
Patrick,
I always love how you write. I was disappointed in many of the reviews about this book on the Ooze site. They seem to have missed the point that you so eloquently explained.
You are right that there is nothing new here. However, knowing love and living out that love is the most vital thing. In fact, it really is the only thing. Maybe we don’t have the capacity to fully grasp that once and for all. I need to be reminded and refocused often.
I agree that Brennan expresses that message beautifully, with grace, and keeps it simple and true.
Brennan’s books and talks have helped my wife and I let go of religious striving and to relax in Abba’s love.Great guy even though his publisher seems to want to milk the message for profit?
Thanks for this review, Grace. This book seems appropriate for me right now as this is exactly what God has been teaching me about presently in the deepest of places: to live loved – and to love.
I will have to check it out, I read the ragamuffin gospel and I love the way Brennan writes. He is very real in a world full of pretenders.
“…let go of religious striving and to relax in Abba’s love.”
Sounds good to me. I think I’ll check it out.
wow – these are quotes trhat I respond too!!! Maybe there is nothing new there .. we don’t need the new .. we need to live out the mandate – we in fact need to be reminded – CONTINUALLY!!!
I absolutely rejoice when I read Manning. Every one of his books speaks the same message; God’s extravagant, wasteful love for us.
This past winter and early spring was especially difficult. Four things in my life made the difference between depression and vitality…Alison’s determined love, our reading together Accedia and Me (Kathleen Norris), re-reading Abba’s Child, and the freedom my family in the Lord gave me to not have to pretend that I was “all right”.
Tom
BTW
I knocked off a few of your great posters for my last Post!!!
Hello, Grace! (miss your feet).
Thanks for this review. I didn’t know B Manning had a new book out. Sound very good!
John
tom,
I’m sorry that you’ve had a difficult winter and spring. Reminders of God’s extravagant love and grace are especially helpful in tough times.
mark,
I noticed that in your blogpost. Those are a couple of my favorites. :)
charlie, sarah, shaun, hunnybee, john,
It is nice to be able to wholeheartedly recommend a book like this. Although it is really short, the message is pure, and the book can easily be re-read many times or passed along to others who need to be reminded of the Father’s love.