Published by Good Book Company on June 1, 2022
Genres: Non-Fiction, Christian Life, Theology
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What's the secret to truly trusting God so that we can rest easy at night? How can we have the same faith and confidence as David who said: "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety" (Ps 4:8)?
The answer lies in focusing on God's greatness. When we consider God's greatness, we usually tend to think about what God can do. However, this book explores 12 things that God can't do. They all express aspects of his nature and character which we can embrace with relief, celebrate with joy and worship with awe. You will marvel both at God's otherness and at how he became one of us in the person of Jesus.
Read this book to grow in faith, live with confidence and rest easy at night, trusting in the God who never sleeps.
This book initially appealed to me because of the title, and Nick Turner’s short, punchy chapters live up to the unique premise. In the introduction, he explains that even though God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, that doesn’t mean that He can literally do anything. He cannot do something that goes against His nature or character, such as change, be lonely, break His promises, experience temptation, or die. Each chapter focuses on a different thing that God can’t do and why it’s good that He can’t, and five interludes explore how, through the incarnation, Jesus did or experienced some of these things. The book’s unique set-up appealed to me, and Turner anticipates and responds well to common questions and objections that will rise in readers’ minds.
12 Things God Can’t Do …and How They Can Help You Sleep at Night emphasizes that Christians can take comfort not only in God’s positive character and being, but also in the assurance of all the things He cannot do. Tucker draws on both Scripture and writings from the church fathers to support his points, and he clearly cites his sources in footnotes. He also provides brief clarifications in some of the footnotes, and it’s clear how much thought and study he put into this.
I would recommend 12 Things God Can’t Do to adults and teenagers, whether they are longtime Christians, new Christians, or just curious about faith. Turner writes to a broad audience without presuming anyone’s life circumstances or background, and he explains concepts clearly without assuming that his readers have significant theological knowledge already. People who are well-versed in theology will benefit from the unique angle that he takes, and people who are new to the subject will appreciate this book’s brevity, accessibility, and engaging tone.
