The Power of Recommending and encouraging

What power there is in recommending! Someone recommended this book, Jesus Calling, to a friend, who passed it on to us and we in turn am passing the recommendation on to you.

As I was pondering how to recommend this book the powerfully beautiful phrase from James 1:21 came to mind, “humbly accept the word planted in you. . . ” (or “with meekness”).

Jesus Calling is a multi million best seller, for some years on the best selling list. If you want a book that explores the biblical prophets, or that are providing pointers for social justice, there are better ones around – but as a simple call to stay close to Jesus day by day, we have found it profound in its simplicity – and everyone we have recommended it to so far has said the same thing.

It attracts enormous support from people who have found it deeply helpful – but inevitably there are some who are suspicious of the fact that it is written in the first person as if from God. For a brief background to the author and her circumstances, see Christianity Today. (You will need to subscribe and log in to read this article; there is no charge).

Talking about recommending – it is always lovely to let others know about books and films that have blessed us. It can make such a difference when we “recommend” other people too. Paul never missed an opportunity to speak well of his fellow workers at the beginning of his letters . . . Let’s pray for opportunities to recommend and encourage someone as well as something this week!