Book Review

I have just finished re-reading a series of books that I read a couple of years ago. Liz Curtis Higgs wrote a trilogy based on the Biblical account of Jacob. Her books are set in Scotland in the late 1700s, so the setting is not modern, but it is not set in the actual time of the Biblical Jacob. In these books, James (Jamie) McKie "steals" his twin brother Evan's birthright upon his mother Rowena's instruction and then must flee his childhood home for a time lest his brother kill him as he threatens. Meanwhile, his mother sends him to live with an uncle and choose one of his "bonny" cousins as a wife. Rose and Leana are as different as night and day and our dear Jamie can't seem to choose. Alas, in different ways he loves them both and by the same token, they both love him. Higgs weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and blessing in her chronicles that total over 1,000 pages.

Meanwhile, young Jamie is learning of a far more important love, the love of the Almighty. Like Jacob of old, Jamie heard from God in a dream and knew that he was destined to inherit his father's estate, even though he was the "younger" twin. The main theme that I get from the books is that no matter how undeserved, no matter that he has lied to and deceived his father, he has broken the hearts of his wives over and over, he has betrayed his brother - Jamie is loved by God.

When I think of this love, this amazing grace that our Heavenly Father offers to us all, I am humbled to think that I, too, am loved by God. When I look back over my life, at the pride, the deception, the betrayal that I have been guilty of - I could hide my face in shame, but instead He bids me to hold my head up high. I am a child of the King! My sin is covered in His blood and He loves me. Not because I deserve it, not because I am good, but in spite of the fact that I am neither deserving or good, He has lavished on me an amazing love, unconditional and perfect.

Casting Crowns has a song that says, "How refreshing to know You don't need me, how amazing to know that You want me....." As I ponder those words and the books I have been reading, I am refreshed to know that I serve a God who is BIG - He doesn't need any of us to accomplish His purpose and His will. His will WILL stand, what He has willed WILL come to pass.

Job 19:25 says, "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last He will take His stand on the earth."

It is indeed awesome to know that Jesus, who died for me, will return to take His stand upon the earth and that meanwhile, no matter what happens in our lives or on this earth - I am loved by God.