The first comment I have to make is that this book isn't new. It's the ?Lion and Lamb? repackaged. I was part way into reading this when I had to ask myself ?gee, doesn't Brennan have any new stories?? Then, after reading about a prayer breakfast with Reagan, I went to check the copyright date and found that this book was first published back in the eighties. No wonder the stories seemed out of date and no wonder I kept asking myself ?haven't I read this before??
While it's true that there was some additional information added, I felt a bit cheated, after all, I got this book as a Fathers Day gift but I really didn't need it, I already had ?Lion and Lamb? in my collection. Oh well.
Ok, the book, whether we are talking about the current title, or the former, is a good insight into the burning desire the Father has for His children. You and me. Brennan Manning has a way of getting across the fact, over and over again, that God truly and deeply loves us, wants to be close to us, wants to be an intimate part of our daily lives.
There are several chapters here on the true meaning of Christmas. What the baby Jesus really means. What it really means to look at the Christ.
Brennan hits home on many things he says. You won't really read this book without stopping to ask yourself ?Why?? and ?How?? and then thinking it's all impossible at the same time noticing a bit of faith growing and sprouting.
To be fair I must review the writing and style not just the content. It isn't always easy reading, the author, in my opinion, tends to ramble a bit and he doesn't bother to make easy chapter and paragraph breaks and headers. I often get lost in reading his books. To be totally honest, I never finished ?Lion and Lamb? and perhaps that is why I found ?The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus? in my hands. I finished it and got something out of it. But it wasn't always easy.
The message, however, is A+ and 5+ stars. I've heard Brennan speak, and he's a true man of God, a leader, a mystic and a brother in Christ. He has something special to communicate and I highly recommend this and his other works.