| Title | : | The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0785267239 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780785267232 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 228 |
| Publication | : | First published May 14, 1997 |
The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God Reviews
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My mother gave me this book several years ago, and I never found the time to read it. Recently, I picked it up and gave it a go. It was definitely the right choice at the right time.
As a girl who wishes she could journey with the fellowship in The Lord of the Rings or even travel through the countryside with Elizabeth Bennett, I fully understand the ache and desire for adventure and romance -- to be a part of something bigger than you are and engrave yourself into a story that stretches before you and after you.
The truth is, we are not frauds -- we were made for adventure and romance and it is attainable; it is waiting for us.
The choice is ours: Do we step through the wardrobe? Do we accept the quest and the risk that comes with it? Do we believe and receive the love and desire that is offered to us and refuse the lies that whisper that we are not worthy?
Are you ready to jump ... and soar ... and discover that, as this book states, we "cannot outdream God"?
Go ahead and read it. I dare you to take the risk because you're worth it. -
I just finished this book for the second time, just in time to read it again. i love the book so much because it falls naturally in line with my own normal way of thinking. in fact many of the authors quoted are my favorites. For me the overlying theme of the book is: God loves you and every good, pure thing in your life is from God and to His purposes. This book will change the way you view God. Our relationship with God occurs in the heart, not in the church alone, but in the way we are created in relation to the way our emotions respond to the rest of creation. Its all a sacred romance in which we are drawn to God, the only Being capable of meeting our deepest needs.
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Don't read this book. Please.
Fine ideas. Repetitious and drooling with emotionalism, seeking charismatic highs in disregard for fair interpretation of scripture. -
About eighteen months ago, my mom handed me this little book and told me her book club was reading it. She thought I might like it. That little book was Epic by John Eldredge, and I more than liked it – the book fundamentally shifted the way I see my faith. And it made me want to read everything Eldredge has ever written.
One of the fundamental ideas in Eldredge’s writing is that humans were made for more than the mundane and drab; instead, we were made for joy and gloriousness and beauty. Thus, the standard perception (by most people, including many Christians) of Christianity as a list of rules and regulations and standards of behavior is misguided at best and harmful at worst. Instead, people should live in the glory that is God and that is the people they were made to be. I found this idea absolutely amazing. For years, I’ve braced myself against the church’s teachings about things like homosexuality because I did not fundamentally believe that God wanted us to invest all this energy in telling people who they shouldn’t be. How wonderful to think that our lives should be guided by a relationship with an all-loving God rather than by “dos and don’ts” set out by flawed humans like ourselves. (Note: Eldredge isn’t saying all behaviors or choices are acceptable; he’s just saying that those choices should be determined by relationship rather than regulation.)
In The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God, Eldredge delves into depth on how this relationship with God plays out. In his telling, the story of God and humanity is a romance where God is pursuing us, and we only need to turn to God. He talks about the ways we are wounded as children and young adults and about how we learn to cope with those wounds by shutting down or developing behaviors that protect us. The result of this self-protection is often a less than vivid life of survival rather than one of glory. Instead of hiding our wounds and acting as if they don’t exist, Eldredge urges us to carry them to God, the only One who can truly heal them.
One of the wounds I received as a child was the wound of rejection. I was not the most popular kid, and I was good at school (okay, I was outright nerdy). Therefore, I didn’t have many friends. I always had a couple of really key girls who I was close to, but I spent most of my time with my parents and brother, the people who always wanted to be near me (my brother won’t admit it, but he’s always liked me;)). Today, that wound plays out in a neediness that I display when it seems someone might leave me – either for the day or for good. I get clingy and controlling, and in the process, I end up driving people away, even if they weren’t even intending to leave. I am learning, slowly, to carry this wound before God and let God heal it. I am learning that my needs are met in God, even when they are not met in people. This is a painful process (even writing about it is painful), but it is holy and good.
Eldredge’s books have taught me to look for God in all moments and to seek God’s face when I feel most needy. God has been trying to tell me this for years, probably, but sometimes it takes the words of another human to get me to hear them.
If you’re a Believer looking for a fresh way to see your loving God, this book is great. If you’re not a Believer but would like to read about a God who loves you because you’re tired of a church who puts your behavior before your person, this book is for you. -
I tried to read this book several times before, but could never bear it. I ended up shoving it to the back of my book pile because it hurt too much to read. Warning: This book will awaken your heart; it will cause you to feel the edge of desires which are bittersweet. It will speak to those dreams and longings that you may have pushed away because God has not fulfilled them. At least, these were part of the reasons why I could not finish the book. It was more comfortable for me to not feel my heart, instead of face its ache.
Only very recently, at the suggestion of a beloved friend, did I open its pages again. And I finished! : P Not only is the Gospel related in an entirely fresh narrative perspective, but I began to see the Kingdom of God in a way I had never glimpsed before. This is exactly what my own church-inurred, cultural christianity heart needed. I have grown up in the Church; I've heard the Gospel and thousands of incredible sermons; I've read Joyce Meyer books and been to one of her conferences; I've been a leader at a religious nonprofit organization; I've fasted, prayed, tried reading my Bible from cover to cover.....you know....the list goes on and on.
But I've been praying for God to reveal His heart to me in a way I've not experienced before, and for Him to show me who He truly is--not what American Christianese Culture says he is.
Alls I know is that this book is well on its way to becoming a classic, and has been part of that answer to prayer. -
I'd rather read the Bible.
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Another great book by Eldridge. This is all about rediscovering the "haunting" that we have all felt at one time or another. There are two ways of handling that desire we feel deep in our hearts. Some try to capture the feeling in a never ending cycle of addictions: a new love affair, more alcohol, drugs, thrills. Others try to kill their hearts so that they no longer feel pain and consequently also give up on transcendent joy. This books points the reader to Christ, the object of our longing and desire, which can never be satisfied here on earth. As someone who prefers for life to keep an even keel, I found it a challenging idea to be open for longing and pain, allowing it to draw me closer to my Savior.
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The most moving and relevant book I've ever read. Put everything into crystal clear perspective. My faith was multiplied and nurtured reading this.
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THE SACRED ROMANCE IS ALL ABOUT DRAWING US NEARER TO GOD'S OWN HEART.
I FOUND THIS READING VERY PROFOUND IN HOW THE AUTHOR "JOHN ELDREDGE" PORTRAY'S EACH EVENT IN USING SCRIPTURE BASED WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE, TO ADD INTO OUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS IN CHRIST.
IT WAS ALWAYS VERY HARD TO PUT THE BOOK DOWN, WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR SUPPER OR BED. :-) I CAN SAY SINCE THIS READING ABOUT DRAWING CLOSER AND BEING "HOLY SPIRIT" LED. I HAVE COME ALONG WAY OUT OF THE DARKNESS AS A YOUNG TEEN GIRL, SO MANY YEARS AGO. THIS READING LEADS EACH OF US WHO READS IT, TO LOOK INTO OUR OWN LIVES/MARRIAGES/RELATIONSHIPS, IN HOW TO MAKE THEM MORE PRODUCTIVE AND CHRISTLIKE. AND LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTIC'S OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. A SPIRIT LED ROMANCE YOU WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. I KNOW I WILL... -
The Sacred Romance is deep; it's also unnerving, since it cuts so deep down into the soul, the center of one's being. It exposes our fragility, our weaknesses, our longings & desires, as well as our hopes & dreams for something more, something lasting, something eternal. Read this together with my wife in the evenings before our dinner. Very good food for thought--and practical action steps for the heart & mind.
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150 pages of metaphor (is that even the right word for it?). Probably more, but that's the point that I finally called it quits.
I read that much and still don't have any idea what it is about. The author discusses all these abstract concepts that he names with proper, capitalized names. The Haunting. The Message of the Arrows. I think he was just referring to innocence (or the remembrance of it) and trials/problems. But instead of saying what he meant, he would give it a Name, and refer to it by it's Name for the rest of the book. I had put it down for some time and came back to it, and he kept talking about Arrows, and I had to go back and reread the chapter about the Message of the Arrows so I knew what he was talking about (still didn't, really).
I feel like overall he was trying way too hard. He was striving for C. S. Lewis and fell so short. But I mean, come on, nobody but C. S. Lewis can write like C. S. Lewis. But I don't fault him for failing. I fault him for even trying. -
I got to page 4 or 5. Jesus referred to as he instead of He and Satan spelled with a capital S...hmm. My savior is He, capital H. Sacred Romance always in caps. This small stuff speaks to me. Not biblical in the least. If this book speaks to you, ask yourself whom is speaking cause it isn't God! It does not line up with scripture yet the title is captivating because I know the Lord does want us to be so close to Him...but this book has the details wrong wrong wrong. I skimmed through the rest of the book looking for scripture (accurate scripture) and found little. Tons of misquotes from people though! Don't waste your time with this junk. It isn't Christianity at all.
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This book introduced me to a God I never knew and a kind of relationship with Him I never knew was possible, but absolutely needed. Must read!
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I've been reading this book since the beginning of 2019, and it's taken me this long to finish for good reason. This book took a lot out of my to read in a good way. It is the only Christian book I've ever read to actually challenge some beliefs and structures of my faith and heart. As less than an intellectually drawn person, I would sometimes pull away from wanting to read because it made me realize that I don't like to be challenged and to have to think about what I believe and why! I'm so glad I persisted. Did I agree with everything he said? Nah. But did it still change me? Absolutely.
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This one is a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, it took me about a year to finish it, with months of breaks in the middle...but when I did pick it up again, it was deeply encouraging and led me to encountering God in ways I hadn't in years. I probably will never read it again, but near the end particularly there are a few gems of quotes that I want to keep.
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This is my hinge book - the book upon which all other books in my library hinge. If I had not read this one between high school and college, I would not have started the reading journey I am now on. It was great revisiting this book after more than 20 years when it first had such a profound impact on my life. I may reread it immediately again here.
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This book is too froofy, even for me
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I have mixed feelings about this book. I had shied away from it for quite some time because I was convinced by the title that there was going to definitely be some "I'm the princess, God's my knight in shining armor"/Julian of Norwich (am I thinking of the right religious figure?) "No, I reeeeally love God" weirdness in there. There was a slight bit of that, but I think more than anything, the book was about emotional healing. It framed our lives in terms of the Romance (beauty, wonder, hope, God) and the Message of the Arrows (pain and enduring messages of failure/self-defeating or harmful mantras that we "learn" from past hurts), and talks about how God is a "wild" lover in the sense that God allows people to choose whether or not to love God, and also seems to allow pain or tragic events that we don't understand.
I was a bit surprised because I had expected the book to be much more centered on God, but found it really to be focused on the reader (part of why I think it's more about emotional healing), and basically trying to release one's self from coping strategies that we've developed that either hinder us from following God by contenting ourselves with a hollow busy-ness of "service", or entrap us in our own vices to the extent that we are living as addicts would for the next thrill, and have little other purpose.
I was impressed with the extent to which the authors revealed such personal things about their lives to illustrate all of this working out in their own stories, and felt that definitely took bravery. I also think the idea of framing a relationship with God in a succinct story (that also draws a lot from our "ideal" lives conceptualized by fairy tales) is something that makes sense to do to give people a different view of their lives and purposes.
What bothered me throughout were these constant but unexplored (or underexplored) gender assertions, that all men ultimately want adventure/to be heroes and that all women ultimately want to be recognized as beautiful. While this makes sense coming from John Elderidge as he later went on to write "Wild at Heart," which is all about that line of thought for men, I find that sort of generalization very troubling, especially as part of the framing of a religious narrative. While I think I definitely sought to be beautiful when I was younger as a kind of end goal, I wonder if a good part of that was motivated by societal messages that women are valuable only as much as they are beautiful, or at least, that their main value lies in their looks (look at advertisements; almost everything is sold by a beautiful woman, who seems almost as much a commodity as the item she's holding). Going into adolescence, I think being a hero/being beautiful were much more of conflicting goals, and now I wonder, is it not okay that everyone would want to be a hero(heroine)? Why the need for this gender distinction? (This is not even to go into the issue that this binary of "ultimate" desires is probably too simplistic...) I think you get the point, so enough of this.
This book helped me at least in some of its ideas and its encouragement of looking at how past occurrences are continuing to drive present-day actions (really reactions), and had some good points that I mentioned, so I don't want to dismiss it entirely, but am not sure it's one I'd readily recommend. -
My favorite book of John Eldredge. Focuses on God's love affair with the human race.
I have favorite passages highlighted I often refer back to during counseling lectures. -
this book has "first book syndrome" i think. sometimes when an author writes their first book it's either the best thing they'll ever write or a very amateur attempt at writing. i think this is the latter.
it has some very poignant ideas and valid points, but after you get to the third chapter, you've read the whole book. not to mention that John Eldredge repeats many of these themes in many of his other books. and the incessant quotes became really tedious to read. it's almost like i'm reading a much more serious and religious book from Family Guy ("that's like the time i did _______ with _______ ." or "As _________ once said, _______ _______ _______ .")
i understand the need for quotes and illustrations--heck, i even wrote 3 books rife with them--but this takes it to the nth degree. it's a shame, too, because i wanted to like this book. i like many of the other Eldredge books that i've read. and although he uses many quotes and illustrations, he--to my recollection--never bogged down the book with them. i really think he was perfecting his writing skills with this book. i'm going to read the "sequel" to see if he made some changes for the better. i think he probably did. -
As God's Word speaks to every individual in a way that is most meaningful to you at a given time, God placed this book in my hands as I struggled to prepare a talk for a men's weekend. The topic of my talk was Prevenient Grace, something that I, nor many of my friends, knew anything about.
This book brought the whole concept into a real perspective of God's endless and tireless pursuit of each person in an effort to have a relationship with us.
Often we wonder why we do not hear or feel the urging of the Holy Spirit. I found the answer in this book. After reading The Sacred Romance, I found that the reason we quit hearing the Holy Spirit in our lives is because of life itself and the things of this world that deafen and blind that spiritual part of us that was in tune with the Holy Spirit as children.
Before being critical about the book, consider that the Lord speaks to you and me in completely different ways. Sometimes our own senses may be blocking us from seeing the real message He is trying to convey to us.
This book is a great guide to reconnect with your Heavenly Father and have the Holy Spirit near to you to guide you on life's journey. -
I like the way John Eldredge writes and thinks, but I did not quite realize how similar all of his books seem to be. Having already read Wild at Heart and Captivating many years ago, I found The Sacred Romance to be strikingly like an early draft of both books. Or more accurately, the later books are a more targeted retelling of the same story began in The Sacred Romance, with just a shift in focus.
Either way, I felt like I had read this book before. Although I do enjoy his romantic, rugged vision of faith, I found that less of that vision resonated with me this time at 35 years old, as compared to when I read Wild at Heart in my early 20s.
Eldredge is certainly gifted in the craft of writing but is, at times, perhaps verbose to the detriment of clear meaning. His baroque prose is certainly stirring and obviously strikes at something powerful in contemporary Christian culture, so it's not unworthy of reading, but having already read two of his other books, it was all too familiar to me. -
"The Sacred Romance" was a transformative book for me. Does it use some gender-stereotyping? Yes, some (and John Eldredge went off the deep end with that in subsequent books). Here's the thing: I encountered this book at a point in my spiritual journey where I was saying, "there must be more to following Jesus than 'being good,' whatever that is." This book led me to the heart of the matter, which is that God pursues each one of us, always and forever, for no other reason than that he loves each of us and delights in each of us. This love and delight is independent of our behavior. It is unconditional and boundless. It was a refreshing and unanticipated truth that found me at just the right time through this book.
Maybe that would happen for you too? Maybe a trip through "The Sacred Romance" would reveal something to you about God's passion for you? I'm confident if you ask for that and approach it with an open heart, something beautiful will come of it. -
I can't tell you how much I love this book. I've read through it twice, annotated it, underlined it, highlighted it. My first read through it was slow and deliberate. It was strange how I'd feel called to read it feel called to stop. But it made more sense each time I picked it up because the chapter I would be on would ALWAYS speak to a life event that was happening at that very moment. Eerie.
The insight itself is wonderful, in that it's an examination of the human heart. How God created us to be... and how we tend to abandoned the heart he gave us out of fear or injury. It's about how God is pursuing our hearts for him to redeem not only our minds and souls... but our hearts.
It's about a life filled with adventure and romance that is within our grasp if we will let him be our rescuer and partner! -
I started reading this book several years ago and then it got put on hiatus. My guess is that it was by divine appointment. This book was an excellent reminder to me that our spiritual journey is not just a laundry list of do's and dont's and theological facts--it is indeed a soul stirring romance. Curtis and Eldredge call us to view our spiritual journies as epic adventures frought with danger and beauty. This book does not focus on the hows so much as the whats and whys.
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Overall, I liked this book by John Eldredge and Brent Curtis, but there were a few things about it that didn't keep my attention. There were a lot of metaphors in the beginning. It's almost as if the authors were trying too hard. But what I liked most about the book was how we can get caught up in the things of the world and place God on the back burner. I loved what they had to write about that.
