Love Promises
Return To The Shack by William Paul Young is the much-awaited sequel to The Shack, and what a powerful and rich read it is.
I absolutely loved The Shack. I love Return To The Shack even more. They are two of THE BEST books that show us the heart of the Father.
This book has many themes but ultimately, it is a book about love. It is the love of our father God for all of His children. No one is ever out of reach of His love – It is just a question of, do we know how much we are loved? – And, we can trust God’s love. “I am choosing to trust Love, regardless of everything I don’t understand.”
We learn that God’s love covers all. “Nothing… can ever separate us. Not you, not your choices, not your emotions, not your imaginations, and especially not sin.” God’s love is a gift freely given. We need to open our hands and our hearts to receive it.
We all need God. “Papa God, I need you, I really need you.” There are times when life is just too hard without Him. “I don’t want to love this man – so somehow help me find your heart for him.” When we cannot love in our strength, we need to ask God for help to love in His strength.
We need to be ‘real’ with God and with others. “Fear makes us hide the truth of our faith battles behind our triumphant smiles on a Sunday morning.” If people don’t know what we are facing, how can they help us?
When God places someone on your heart, don’t ask questions, just pray. “I woke up… and felt a burden for you and started praying.” Prayer changes lives.
There is so much suffering in the world. “Where is God when all we feel is hate, pain, and suffering?” God always walks beside us. Mack in the book, asks “Papa God, are you still in me?”… “Always,” is the answer. Through all that Mack has gone through, he now knows that God is always with him. “I had to work at not… sliding into the abyss. I knew if I did, it would be okay, because Jesus would be there with me.”
We need to see people as God does. “Do you… see people as children of God or monsters, Love or fear?”
Love is the force that changes lives. God is Love. “Jesus seems to trust that Love is the real force dat changes things… Vengeance is never Kindness or Love.” Our job is to love, and to point others to the heart of God.
God calls us to belong to Him. “Fitting in is about performance rather than who you are as a person, and belonging is about who you are as a person rather than performance… You can’t earn belonging.” Belonging is God’s gift, freely given.
Within the book, Mack comes face to face with Missy’s killer on death row. The work of God in Mack’s life means Mack has to learn about the power of forgiveness – both for him and for Missy’s killer. The human nature looks to punish. God looks to love. “Justice… is when you make your enemy your brother.”
Forgiveness can be hard to receive. “My forgiveness has nothing to do with deserving. It’s mine and I choose to give it to you… and that’s one prison cell you aren’t in anymore.” Forgiveness is freeing.
All the characters were well drawn and believable. The scenes between Mack and whoever he is talking to – be it God, or Jesus, or Missy’s killer are all powerful. We learn a lot throughout all the exchanges.
Return To The Shack is a book covering many topics. All of it is covered with God’s gracious and extravagant love.
Return To The Shack is a book, that like The Shack, I will return to again and again, receiving something new each time.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON