Furious Pursuit: Why God Will Never Let You Go

King and Martin share common theological takes on the patterns of God's faithfulness, noting that too many Christians judge their spiritual vitality on the basis of their own strivings and successes. While Christians are commanded to seek and pursue God, the authors assert that it is God's unconditional love and passionate pursuit of his children that makes the relationship happen—and endure. Cleverly, the entire text is presented as a divine romance where the writers introduce the premise of humanity being wooed by God. At this initial stage of the romance, God offers believing Christians hope and healing in exchange for fear, pain and loneliness. On the heels of this dizzying pursuit, love-struck Christians encounter the nurturing courtship stage, where individuals discover identity and meaning in life. Finally, at last, the commitment of long-term marriage is extended as God invites a lover's response of pure and permanently binding devotion. As evenly as this readable material is put forth, the book lacks emotional engagement, which weakens any impact it might have engendered had the message been offered with a livelier voice. (July 18)