JONAH
Navigating a God-centred life
By Colin S. Smith . Christian Focus. 160 pages. £7.99
ISBN 978 1 845 506 391
What a superb commentary on Jonah! It is not a big book, but it is weighty, being the distilled experience of many years in preaching and pastoral work.
After a good number of years in ministry, it is very possible to become cynical, professional and hard-hearted. The author exposes so much of this with evangelical tenderness, bringing us back to the heart of the gospel. He deals brilliantly with such themes as suffering, God’s providence, and the free offer of the gospel. The illustrations are appropriate and memorable.
This is an invaluable resource for anyone studying or preaching through the Book of Jonah. It is also helpful as devotional reading for Christians at any stage.
There are some real gems to be found. For example, in a section entitled ‘The God who sends storms’, he writes: ‘I would rather live with the “problem” of a sovereign God than with the problem of a “god” who is a helpless observer’. Elsewhere he says: ‘Christ endured the worm and the wind so you could be brought into an eternity under God’s vine’; and, ‘Before the creation of the world you were on God’s horizon, and he planned all your days in love (Ephesians 1.4)’. On the subject of assurance, he writes: ‘Thank God we are not saved by the strength of our faith but by the strength of our Saviour’; and, ‘Your first assurance of heaven is that Christ wants you there’.
Make this book part of your winter reading, and digest it slowly. I guarantee that your heart will be stirred afresh with love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and for all those who will perish without him.
Paul Williams,
pastor, Swindon Evangelical Church
