★★★★★ 5
God’s love and desire for personal relationship
Format: Paperback
In The Abba Foundation, Dr. Chiqui Wood (2018) vividly demonstrates God’s love and desire for personal relationship with every person, regardless of their past or perceived lack of goodness. The central theme, God’s nature is love and the Father’s heart can be known through His relationship with Jesus, is scripturally supported throughout the book. Wood (2018) advocates, “God is by nature infinite, other-centered, self-giving, over-flowing love…He is on a mission to restore the world because He loves His creation” (p. 90).
There are many influencers to a person’s view of God, including earthly fathers, life experiences, and backgrounds. Religion promotes performance and regulation as qualifiers for God’s love and acceptance; an individual’s holiness determines the level of God’s love. Wood (2018) contends, the Father desires our holiness, not for His sake, but for ours. Abba wants us to live in freedom and wholeness. The author offers a compelling argument that the Ten Commandments may not be strictly as set of rules or performance burden, “but rather the painting of a picture of what relational wholeness looks like” (p. 103).
Wood (2018) masterfully combines scripture with modern application, walking the reader through a journey of experiencing and believing that God truly loves us unconditionally and continually seeks a personal relationship. Without reverting to religious hyperbole, she skillfully addresses the question, how does a good loving Father allow bad things to happen?
The Abba Foundation is splendidly written, providing insight for the individual attempting to gain greater understanding in a world in turmoil, while seeking inner peace and joy. The seasoned Christian with a desire for a deeper relationship with Abba will find biblical foundation for a good loving Father whose primary desire is personal relationship. The format of the book provides an excellent resource for group studies and discussions.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2018
