a book worth reading again

{ necklace: [gift] Nordstrom; watch: Nordstrom; bracelets: F21; sweater: [gift] Loft }

Some of you read in my post about new years resolutions that I want to become a better reader. Meaning... I want to read more. I barely read books, because I fill my open time slots with watching television or roaming on the internet. This year, I want to keep a book with me in my purse so I'm reminding throughout my day to read. I also plan on watching less tv, and limiting the time I spend on the internet. I'm excited about this new change. I think I'll get way more out of reading a good book than flipping through the channels or roaming the net. Not like I have a lot of time to do either of those things anyways, but those times when I do, I want to replace them with more reading. I never read a book and wish I hadn't, but sometimes I do regret spending too much time in front of a screen. 

Over the break I read, "The Prodigal God". I've always preferred non-fiction books over fiction books, I don't know why, that's just how I am. This book took me three days to read, and that seriously never happens to me. It usually takes me a few weeks to finish a book. Not this one. This book was such a short read, and is so applicable to where I am in my walk with the Lord.

The book focuses on the story of the Prodigal Son {Luke 15:11-32}. However, it doesn't just focus on the son who runs away and wastes all of his fathers money, it focuses on the elder son as well. Timothy Keller talks about how both sons were just as distant from God, but for different reasons. The younger son {the son who runs away} was visibly rebelling against his father, he told his father that he wanted nothing to do with him and only wanted his money. The elder son {the son who stayed and worked for his father} felt that he had earned a higher place than his brother, and wouldn't have anything to do with him when he came crawling back for forgiveness. The elder son was full of judgement and lived with a legalistic view of God. The elder son believed that if he lived a good life, than he should get a good life. The elder brother felt as though God owed him a good life because he earned it.  Both brothers were separated from God.

Timothy Keller describes the two brothers perfectly.

"The hearts of the two brothers were the same. Both sons resented their father's authority and sought ways of getting out from under it.  They each wanted to get into a position in which they could tell the father what to do.  Each one, in other words, rebelled - but one did so by being very bad and the other by being extremely good. Both were alienated from the father's heart; both were lost sons.

Do you realize, then, what Jesus is teaching? Neither son loved the father for himself.  They both were using the father for their own self-centered ends rather than loving, enjoying, and serving him for his own sake.  This means that you can rebel against God and be alienated from him either by breaking his rules or by keeping all of them diligently.  

It's a shocking message: Careful obedience to God's law may serve as a strategy for rebelling against God."

The book ends by talking about how Jesus was the perfect son. Jesus was the perfect example. Jesus was friends with the lowest groups of people, and he loved and accepted them all. He gave them life when they were lifeless. He gave everyone hope in the midst of their brokenness. Whatever you do, don't look at my life as a model, look at the life of Jesus. That's the beauty of Christianity. It's not about us, it's about Him. It's about looking at Christ as the perfect example, as the perfect son.

There are so many things I got out of this book, and as I'm writing this, I'm reflecting on all the things I highlighted and underlined. If you're looking for an encouraging, yet challenging book, I highly recommend this one.

Are there any good books you've recently read and loved? Any suggestions?