Book Review: In His Image

If you’ve spent much time around me, you’ll know that I’ve been gradually becoming more and more a fan of every Bible resource that Jen Wikin has put out in the past couple years.

I was first introduced to her book None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different from Us (And Why That’s a Good Thing) in which she brilliantly explained our human limitations when it comes to characteristics such as omnipotence, sovereignty, and self-sufficiency. This book encouraged us to repent of all the ways that we’ve tried to become God in these areas of our lives.

So when our church did her podcast-based study on 1, 2, and 3 John called Abide, I was excited to hear her Bible teaching in conjunction with my personal Bible study. And it didn’t disappoint.

Jen Wilkin has something I have been wanting to see for a while in “popular” Christian, women authors – a deep love for Scripture and a dedication to teach women how to understand it on their own. In a Precepts-like method, Jen asks us to seek God’s wisdom and teaching first. She points us to Scripture continually. It’s beautiful.

When I received a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas, only one book got me truly excited to spend it – her follow up to  None Like Him. All I knew was that it was called In His Image and would follow the same pattern as the first book. Except this time she would examine 10 characteristics that we share with God.

I pre-ordered the book. It arrived last week. I spent this weekend reading it. I’ll tell you on the front end, this book is every bit as hard of a hitter as the first. The questions after each chapter are extremely challenging – in a good way. They ask you to truly examine your heart and motives. I did not spend this weekend answering all the questions. I’ll go back and do that in my own personal studies. I simply read through the book in order to turn around and tell you as quickly as possible – GO BUY THIS BOOK FOR YOURSELF AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!!

Actually, if you haven’t read None Like Him,  start there. This really isn’t a sequel. But you won’t appreciate the impact that we share characteristics with God until you understand how much we don’t have in common (ughh…sin…)

So here’s my quick teaser to get you to buy this book immediately. These are the 10 characteristics she includes: Holy, Loving, Good, Just, Merciful, Gracious, Faithful, Patient, Truthful, and Wise.

The opening line is:

If you’ve ever said, “I just want to know God’s will for my life,” this book is for you.

She then redefines that question into a better one – not “What should I do?” but “Who should I be?”

I intended to list my favorite quotes from the book for you. But there are too many. I’ll give you just a couple so you can sample the poetry in her language.

“God could have created a much duller creation and much duller creatures to fill it, but in his goodness, he formed and filled it with color, cacophony, cornucopia. (p. 48)

“Believers whose Bibles are worn have known their need of its message. To them, reading its pages is not just a dutiful practice but a delightful privilege.” (p.101)

She does a fantastic job balancing Scripture, outside quotes, anecdotes, and interpretation.

And she points out painful areas of sin that so many of us struggle with – and she does it with love and humility. For example, when discussing grace, she says, “Yes, at a bare minimum I want to be treated fairly by others. But what I really want is to be treated preferentially.” (p. 94).

So many of us have fallen into that trap. But so few of us can put words to it. With words, we can now better confess and repent of this sin.

I’ll close with one of the last thoughts she leaves us with: “Everything we say or do will either illuminate or obscure the character of God.” (p.153) Go buy this book. Use it as a guide to search Scripture and live out these character traits. Meditate on the verses that she lists and ask the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Encourage fellow sisters in Christ to do the same.

I thank God for our faithful sister in Christ, Jen Wilkin.