Book Title: The Grand Weaver : How God Shapes us Through the events of our lives
Author : Ravi Zacharias
I have listened to many podcast of
Ravi Zacharias, listening to his lectures brings a kind of eagerness as he
relates the life with scriptures to get engaged for a Purpose. I didn’t knew that Ravi would be called by
God, on the day, I started reading this book “Grand Weaver”. In the introduction of the book – Grand Weaver, the author simply asks “why has God made it so difficult to believe in
him? This can be a common metaphor for many of the believers, especially in the
difficult and struggling time. This
book is around Gods design and is mysterious intervention in our lives to know
the specific purpose for each one of us.
The authors belief that God intervenes in the lives of everyone and God
speaks to us in different ways and at different times. The book is about
calling for each of us, designed to fulfil each individual uniqueness. Once you
being to see Gods hand in our life, we will know that his workmanship within us
and through you was tailor made, just for you. That’s why the title of the book
Grand Weaver.
I have tried to summarize these 8 chapters.
Chapter
– 1: DNA Matters:
Gods gifts are unique and these
gifts even when in flaw has a great message to convey. It depends upon the way
one view and treasure the gift. It reminds that each person is unique and
special but not flawed.
# Accepting and celebrating the
thread of your own personality is the first grasp of the Grand Weaver’s design
in your life. You are not a number. He knows you by name. Every stage of the
process may not look picturesque, but every detail will come into focus and
possess its share of beauty.
Chapter
– 2: Your Disappointments:
Every individual born in this earth
will undergo pain and suffering and disappointments in their own way. There
cannot be a measurement to know who suffered more main and who had highest
disappointments. We always feel that we are carrying the heavy burden, compared
to others and author narrates a beautiful story of Golden Window. One can observe the patterns of the
disappointments and take three distinct steps in this journey before the
pattern becomes visible and we being to see the work of God.
The author suggests three steps in
this journey before the pattern becomes visible to see the work of God
1 1. Involves
the heart:
Three things happen to heart: it
will grow hard, it will be broken or it will be tender. God the grand weaver
seeks those with tender hearts sothat he can put his imprints on them. Your
hurts and disappointments are part of that design, to share your heart and the way
you feel about reality. A heart is close
communion with God helps carry out through the pain, beyond the power of words.
2. Involves
the Mind
Brain is to the body and the mind
is to the soul. Faith is a thing of the mind. The entire financial structure depends
on credit, trust, confidence, belief and faith.
3. Finding
the road
Chapter
-3: Your Calling Matters
Immense success does not always
bring meaning or fulfillment. A calling
is simply God’s shaping of your burden and beckoning you’re to your service to
him in the palace and pursuits of his choosing. It is God’s vital purpose in
positioning you in life and giving you the vocation and context of your will to
serve him with a total commitment to do the job well.
God trained Moses in a palace to
use him in a desert. He trained Joseph in a desert to use him in a palace. Some
come through winding paths, some through the nicely paved road of privileged
birth or influential friends. Others come through the visitation of
circumstances with wandering and sudden signposts. Finding one’s calling is one
of the greatest challenges in life, especially when one has gifts that fan out
in many directions.
One simply cannot know one’s call
without coming near to God in prayer. The purpose of prayer and of God’s call in
your life is not to make you number one in the worlds eyes, but to make him
number one in your life. The second significant clue - the willingness to be
outshone while shining for God. Humility is the touchstone of serving God. The preparation
for the call through prayer and the attitude of living out the call in humility,
takes the final step.
Chapter
– 4: Your Morality Matters:
The fundamental difference between
a naturalist worldview and a religious worldview is the moral framework. The
first four of the ten commandments have to do with our worship of God, while
the next six deals with our resulting responsibilities to our fellow human
beings. These commandments base a moral imperative on our spiritual commitment,
first towards God and second towards humanity.
Morality is the fruit of your knowledge of God, conscious or otherwise.
Morality can build pride as well philanthropy true spirituality will never
submit to pride.
Chapter
– 5: Your Spirituality Matters:
Jesus challenged three different
types of spirituality; Traditionalism, legalism and superstition.
Spiritual seduction is the
deadliest of all seductions because it barters away the soul. Truth is the
thread that separates true spirituality from false spirituality.
Chapter
-6: Your will Matters:
We must take hold of God’s promise
to bless us. The gospel declares that the Holy Spirit brings about the new
birth and that because of the Spirits power within us, we gain the ability to
do God’s will.
Willful walk with the lord – Ask without
Pettiness | Being before Doing | Convictions without Compromise | Discipline
without Drudgery.
Chapter
-7: Your worship Matters
Worship is coextensive with life.
Worship is ultimately seeing life Gods way. Three principal realities combine
in worship; Mystery, Community and Liturgy.
Chapter
– 8: Your Destiny Matters:
The cemetery new or old is not our
ultimate destination; it is merely a place in which to remember the symbols of
a farewell. The person is not there; only the last memory is there. The respect
shown in a cemetery comes not becomes it is home, but because it is where we
bid believing loved ones a temporary good bye.
A wonderful book, with a beautiful
flow with real life’s stories that connects with present experiences or few
heard stories make this awesome read and reflection.
