Customer Reviews

Come Thirsty: No Heart Too Dry for His Touch

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Prolific author and San Antonio pastor Max Lucado has easily earned his right to a mini department in Christian bookstores featuring his titles alone. At last count, he has written 50-plus books, and like most of the others, his latest release is the kind of valuable gem that should be set apart and given a place of its own.

COME THIRSTY offers a long drink of cool water to parched throats and "dehydrated hearts" --- people whose faith has run dry as well as those whose faith was never watered very well in the first place. As with Lucado's other titles, this one is saturated with grace, that aspect of God's love that drenches us with a favor that is incapable of being earned or bought. It's ours for the taking, regardless of who we are or what we've done or how we think of ourselves, and it's central to all of Lucado's books. If we allow it to, he writes, grace will saturate our lives and become as inescapable as the water that surrounds us on all sides when we dive into a deep pool.

The metaphor of water permeates this book, and as always, Lucado squeezes every last drop of imagery out of that metaphor. The writing style is pure Lucado, which never disappoints. A master of the one-word sentence ("Society labels you like a can on an assembly line. Stupid. Unproductive...Quitter. Cheapskate."), the author gets his points across in pretty much the way you would expect him to if he were sitting in a rocking chair on your porch, shooting the breeze on a summer afternoon. Holding a glass of tea, of course. Tall. Fresh. Chilled. Sweet.

Also part of the Lucado appeal is his ability to tell a story and relate it to some spiritual truth. To illustrate the lengths to which people will go to save their lives, for example, he recounts the widely reported story of Aron Ralston, the mountain climber who amputated his own hand, which had been trapped under an 800-pound-boulder. "Upon hearing the footsteps of the Grim Reaper at your door, what price would you pay for an extension?" he asks. "Would you give your right hand?"

And he proves he still has a way with subtle and ironic humor. In the chapter "Hope for Tuckered Town" --- home of weary, unspiritual people who try to work their way to God --- the daily grind and drudgery of life is so boring that Lucado maintains "you'll find more excitement at an Amish prom." Following a delightful anecdote involving a lost pot-bellied pig, Lucado addresses the problem of our struggles, but not before getting in a jab about our tendency toward pettiness: "Perhaps your Rubik's Cube has a square that won't turn. If God is our guardian, why do bad things happen to us?" (You may be heartened to know that he does not give a pat answer to that question, by the way.)

Nearly half of the book is devoted to a reader's guide that is as much a Bible study as it is a discussion guide for COME THIRSTY. Prepared by writer Steve Halliday, the guide combines a question and answer section with a "Drink Deeply" action step, all of which relates to a specific chapter. Those steps are as wide-ranging as watching the movie Les Miserables for the chapter "When Grace Goes Deep" to writing your own obituary for the chapter "When Death Becomes Birth."

Jesus invites people to "come thirsty and drink deeply," Lucado believes. That's not bad advice for the way to use this book as well.

Lucado's splash of living water for thirsty souls is much like the water he uses as an image: not heavy, but refreshing. By "not heavy," I mean that in typical Lucado fashion, this is light reading, not heavy or deep theology (although his summary on the Bible's teaching on angels on pages 108-114 is well-researched).
On the other hand, like water, the book is refreshing and encouraging. Lucado uses the acronym W-E-L-L to stand for receiving the living water offered by Jesus in three ways: receiving Christ's WORK on the cross, the ENERGY of the filling of the Holy Spirit, the LORDSHIP of Jesus, and the LOVE of Christ. He then elaborates on each of these points in his engaging style of fascinating and humorous illustrations and creative turns of phrases. My favorite quote is on page 92: "Denying the sovereignty of God requires busy scissors and results in a hole-y Bible."
Lucado has a strong ending to the book, with a collection of Biblical quotes (indexed in the back if you care to look them all up) as a "love letter from God," summarizing the teaching of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed his book. Many times I caught myself muttering as I read, "I wish I had said that," and I probably will!
(By the way, the artistic depection of splashing water on the cover is so real I keep wanting to get a dry cloth and wipe it off.)

Mr. Lucado continues to write on spiritual truths in a way that makes them easy to understand and relevant to everyday life. "Come Thirsty" is no exception and a must read for all Lucado fans. Also would make a great gift for anyone who feels they are too far from God and undeserving of His grace.

Is there any better way to compliment study or prayer time with a little Max Lucado. In a world which we must live with our antennas up and dealing with sin and heresy -- even in our own lives and our own churches -- the writings of Max Lucado always calm the soul and refresh the spirit. He can tell why the Bible says not to sin in a way that's not abrasive and hypocritcal, yet confrontational. He can write about the Holy Spirit in a way that accentuates the love of God, yet contains discernment of the sweaty TV evangelists who tear apart believers. He explains stories and life experiences in a manner that connects us directly with God.

The most compelling issue: how Max writes about faith in God. The last chapters are the most memorable for me. He writes of the promises of our eternal security in Christ, according to Romans 8:38. Indeed, nothing can separate us from God's love, and Lucado's "Come Thirsty" is just another one of his simple yet strong reads that brings every Christian that reads it closer to God.

Max Lucado hits another home run with this book. "Come Thirsty" arrived at my house just when I felt I was going through a dry spell. His method of conveying God's love and the promise of your spiritual thirst being quenched by the living water of the Lord is,as always, clear, concise, and uplifting. Don't miss having this one in your Lucado collection.

I am a young adult about to enter her twenties. I entered college for the first time this year and was faced with many struggles while being so far away from home and being on my own for the first time while trying to keep my faith my parents and small, private, Christian school i attended my whole life had instilled in me. I bought this book when I was struggling the most and now I buy this book for everyone I know. Whether your struggling or not in your walk with God I would recommend reading this book. He uses examples, Bible verses, and stories so well to portray the everlasting, unending love of our God. God has given Max Lucado a wonderful gift. This was my first book I read of his and I will certainly be buying more.

Max Lucado has done it again. This is a quick, but deep read. Goes right to the heart.

If you have been burned by religious folk who are not "merciful to those who doubt," (Jude 22) you will find a special mixture of safety, truth, and encouragement in Come Thirsty. What makes Max Lucado so special is his ability to speak to ordinary people as well as understand spiritually broken hearts and gently lead them back into the fold of God's love. The grace in Lucado's tone does as much to assure the heart of God's grace as does the strong biblical roots of his message, and his real world illustrations help show how the biblical truth of God's goodness is so relevant to everyday life and not just merely an abstract doctrine.

I LOVE Max Lucado. There is no way anyone can tell me that this man doesn't hear from God. Every book I have read by him pierces my heart and encourages a deeper understanding and relationship with God. I loved this book immensely and have told many people about it.

At the end of this download is a workbook - I almost wish I had known this was included because I would have worked the lessons as I read each section but I'm almost glad I didn't. Now that I am finished, reading this workbook, going through these thought-filled lessons - helps me go deeper into this great read. If you are a new Christian, or if you are a seasoned one - this is a refreshing view of Who You Are in Christ and How to experience Him more fully.

I would put this at the top of my must reads. Well Done Max!