Running from Mercy: Jonah and the Surprising Story of God’s Unstoppable Grace by Anthony Carter
Published by B Books on October 1, 2018
Genres: Biblical Studies, Christian Life
Pages: 192
Format: ARC, Paperback
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The story of Jonah the prophet is familiar to us. It’s full of unforgettable images, ironic twists and turns, and dramatic encounters between humanity, nature, and God. Most importantly, it is a microcosm of the human story. Your story. My story. The story of Jonah.
In these pages, you will meet a prophet not so different from yourself. The prophet’s rebellious spirit is astounding, but more astounding still is the surprising grace of God. The same God who relentlessly pursued Jonah and who relentlessly pursued the Ninevites is pursuing you. May this story cause you to rest in his unstoppable grace.
I’ve been a B&H Publishing / Lifeway blogger for quite some time. In all honesty, though, I can’t remember the last time I reviewed a book for them, and of course, after I received today’s book – Running from Mercy: Jonah and the Surprising Story of God’s Unstoppable Grace by Anthony J. Carter, I unfortunately suffered a random condition called a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which they call a “brain bleed”. I was hospitalized for a week and then instructed to convalesce for five to eight weeks, so today’s post is late.
Running from Mercy is an Old Testament study on Jonah the Prophet and how we are much like him. I recognized the full worth of the way salvation is made clear in the first few chapters of this book. Readers are made clear that we are saved by grace through faith and not of any action we take ourselves. The Lord promises to save everyone who calls upon His name. We are reminded that mercy is greater than all your failures!
Each chapter broke of Running from Mercy down a few of the Bibl verses. It went really deep into Jonah as a person and about God. The author bought the focus away from the fish and brought it to God. We are reminded that grace and mercy come from a big God who races after His people. No matter how many times we try to run away from Him, no matter how fast we think we are running … God is faster than us.
Jonah is not just a story of the redemption of Nineveh, or the usage of an unwilling heart. The author shows how Jonah reflects the unrelenting love and mercy of God.
I’m grateful for the author’s contribution and recommend Running from Mercy as a supplement to studying Jonah. If you have studied Jonah, this book will refresh your memory and give you new insight. If you have not studied Jonah, this book is a great way to start!
Anthony J. Carter is the lead pastor of East Point Church in East Point, Georgia. A graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando, he is the author of several books, including Blood Work: How the Blood of Christ Accomplishes Our Salvation; Black and Reformed: Seeing God’s Sovereignty in the African-American Christian Experience; and What Is the Gospel: Life’s Most Important Question.
Tony and his wife Adriane live in East Point, Georgia.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from B&H Publishing / Lifeway in exchange for my post. A positive review was not required.
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