The Acceptable Sacrifice

When I was in North Carolina, visiting some friends before I began my Wycliffe training, we went to this little corner bookstore called The Waxhaw Reading Room- Used Bookstore. The books are donated to them, and whatever money they make from selling them goes to help out the Public Library with various activities that they do. For me, as a Librarian, it was heaven :)

Anyway, as we were there, I found this little treasure of a book- The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan (that link takes you to Amazon). This was Bunyan's last book- an exposition of Psalm 51:17. He shows from Scripture why a broken heart is so acceptable to God, characterizing the unbroken heart of man, showing why it must be made contrite, and explaining the nature of the change which is involved. He also guides the reader in discerning whether this change has taken place, and shows how the heart, once broken, can be kept tender.

It's a beautiful book. Here's an excerpt:

God, as I may say, is forced to break men's hearts before He can make them willing to cry to Him or be willing that He should have any concerns with them; the rest shut their eyes, stop their ears, withdraw their hearts, or say unto God 'Be gone (Job 21:14)!' But now the broken in heart can tend it. He has leisure, yea, leisure and will and understanding and all, and therefore is a fit man to have to do with God. There is room also in this man's house, in this man's heart, in this man's spirit, for God to dwell. For God to walk.

For God to set up a kingdom.

~ John Bunyan

Oh, and did I mention I bought this book for a dollar?

That's right- $1.00

It was love at first sight :)