Books On Loving Better

It’s Valentine’s Day, and thoughts turn to love.

But as Christians, our thoughts and prayers are often filled with love.  Prayers for forgiveness when we fail to love as we ought. Prayers for God’s equipping to help us love the unlovable.  Prayers of heartfelt thanks for the saving love of Christ in our lives—and of heartfelt desire for the unsaved to experience it.  

Here are four CLC publications that focus on the love of God, written by authors whose hearts were filled with it, but who were painfully aware that they needed even more of it.  Consider giving yourself a gift this Valentine’s Day, one that will help you love better throughout the year. 

• If:  This small book with an even smaller title is Amy Carmichael’s challenge to practice Calvary love.  “I have felt these words scorching to write, but it is borne upon me that, in spite of all our hymns and prayers (so many of them for love), it is possible to be content with the shallows of love, if indeed such shallows should be called love at all.”  Heart-hitting.

• The Unfair Advantage:  “If the faith stream of your marriage roars like raging rapids, then everyone around you will be strengthened by the authentic way that you and your spouse love and interact with one another.”  Dr. Harold Arnold, Jr. instructs the reader on how to apply the gift of God’s grace to make marriage work.

• Song of Songs:  Watchman Nee explores the love relationship between the believer and the Lord in this commentary that walks the reader through the spiritual stages of initial love, faltering love, growing love, transforming love, and mature love using the poetic imagery of the Song of Solomon.

• Too Amazing to Keep to Yourself:  A practical guide in carrying out the work assigned by the Lord Jesus—“the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love”  (Acts 20:24). Author Ken Wilson reminds readers to “Grab hold of God’s promise that He has poured out His love into your heart by the Holy Spirit. Allow that love to flow from you into the edges of your world.”