A Place for Weakness - a book review

 

A Place for Weakness by Michael Horton has been a blessing to me as I have read the biblical worldview of suffering.  It had been previously published under the name of Too Good to Be True.

The book begins by recalling when his father was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor at the age of 78, after he and his wife had cared for their parents in their home and then for 15 other people in their residential care home.  The author goes through how hard it was to watch his dad struggle and then on to his joy as he entered his last days on earth because of knowing that he would soon be in the presence of Jesus.

Just two months after the death of Michael's father, his mother suffered a massive stroke while Michael was driving her home from her sister's funeral.  He tells of how his parents had moved to be close to him and his wife to help with their children and now his dad had died, and his mother was partially paralyzed and disabled.

He also shares about the struggle his wife went through with depression after recovering from several especially difficult miscarriages.

How did he deal with it all?  I believe this quote will give some insight.

"Only when we learn to despair of ourselves, to suffer our own nakedness in God's holy presence, to renounce our righteousness and listen only to God's Word, are we enabled to recognize God as our Savior rather than our just judge and holy enemy."

And again, here,

"God is truly to be found in the weak things of the world."

Another quote that I found to be a favorite of mine is...

"Donning someone else's armor, we are standing in someone else's strength.  The testimony that prevails in this battle is not about us and what we have done or how we have improved, but a witness to God and what He has done in Christ.  Pointing away from ourselves to Christ, is the only sure defense when Satan accuses us in God's courtroom."

And yet another...

"Sound doctrine is not, as many seem to assume today, a distraction from the real life of Christian discipleship, but preparation for it."

The last quote that I will share is...

"Like the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness, the gospel is not about us but about someone else: Christ and His proclamation, 'It is finished.' "

Chapter 10 is the final chapter in this book of 194 pages and the entire chapter deals with the subject of death...the fact that death isn't part of life, but rather death is a result of the fallen world (in other words, sin), and for those who are in Christ, it is the gateway to life.

I would highly recommend this book whether you are dealing with suffering or not at the present time.  I found it to be scripturally sound and appreciated the emphasis on sound doctrine.