About the Book:
Times of profound darkness don't always require miracles to find the light
Sooner or later, dark days obscure everyone's lives. Heartbreak is impartial. Tragedies, global or personal, strike every day, and people discover they have been swept out to sea by waves of destruction, anxiety, and catastrophe. How can Christians who believe in divine intervention understand the times when the lights go out and no miracle of deliverance appears?
Robert Wise has more than a passing relationship with tragedy. He has not only lost loved ones; he has been on the front lines of the mayhem that seems to increase every year. Wise was the first clergyman on the scene following the Murrah Building bombing in Oklahoma City. He ministered to frightened people after 9/11. He has encountered countless people experiencing tragedy, all of them asking the same question: Why do the innocent suffer?
When There Is No Miracle imparts the lessons Wise has learned in the midst of his own questioning. Each chapter encourages those who struggle, and demonstrates unexpected positive benefits of pain and suffering. Wise shares the experiences of those he has met in his ministry who faced times that seemed to be devoid of God's involvement. Yet, as Wise shows here, God is always behind the scenes, working for the ultimate good, even when we can't understand how. In this succinct volume, Christians can find new hope, learn to reconcile their faith with times of emptiness, and discover a new depth of meaning in the crucifixion of Christ.
My Thoughts:
“When your wants are
strained through the fabric of God’s larger truths, then what is real will
emerge.” (p. 120)
This is my first time reading
Robert Wise’s book, and, while I understand it is revised and expanded, I can’t
imagine in being any more powerful and life-transforming in the way it
challenges believers to look at difficult life circumstances – outright tragedy
– through the eyes of our Heavenly Father.
His vision for our life and life-purposes isn’t clouded by sin, emotion
or human limitations. His vision is
found in the truths of His Word.
God shares many Biblical examples
of the truths He wants us to live out of as believers - followers of Christ. He loves us more than we can dare to
fathom! Wise shares both biblical and
real-time examples of very difficult life situations. From sudden loss to chronic illness and
through a variety of other situations Wise asks the same questions that are
universal when life’s struggles threaten to overwhelm. The truth Wise shares is both challenging and
comforting.
I think the most touching moments
for me are the conversations he frames with Jesus at the end of each
chapter. I found myself reading those
over and over as though I was literally present in the conversation. I am taking my time with this book. It has caused me to look at some of my own
circumstances differently, and challenged me to let go and move past some
situations that have kept me from all that God has called me to.
I am happy and pleased to
recommend this book to all believers! We
have all experienced times where there was no miracle-----when, in fact, the
absence of the miracle was, in fact, the miracle! Grab a copy today and share one with a
friend! It is an amazing book!
About the Author:
Robert L. Wise is an archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches and director of the Office of Ecumenical Relations. He has been awarded the title of Apostolic Representative for Christian Unity by Pope Francis. In addition to his work in ecumenism, Wise is the author of thirty-four books and many articles published in several languages. Wise also publishes under the pseudonyms Spencer E. Moses and Ed Moses.
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