Rev. Marcos A. Miranda, the author of Get Out of God’s Way, believes that by trying to live up to impossible standards of perfection set by the overly zealous denominations (“religion”), we are missing the message of hope and love that Jesus Christ came to model. He writes, “When it comes to spirituality, we are our own worst enemies.”
In this slim book, Miranda, a hospice chaplain and president of the New York State Chaplain Task Force, expounds briefly on 22 topics that address the various ways he feels Christians or the church “get in God’s way.” These topics are gleaned from his sermons and personal writings, and deal with things such as victory over life’s problems, modeling the character of Jesus, learning to love others, redemption from sin, and finding contentment (an especially well-developed chapter.)
Miranda’s writing reflects a straightforward and open-hearted style. His approach recalls being in church and hearing the pastor discuss something down-to-earth and personal. The chapters are short, and since they are not interconnected other than under the umbrella of the overarching theme, the book can be read at leisure without having to remember what came before. In some cases, the chapter titles have little to do with the content that follows; this is puzzling, but can generally be overlooked.
Miranda wants all people to know that Jesus came to free them from legalism and hypocrisy, fear of Hell, and to give them an abundant life both now and throughout eternity. Get Out of God’s Way would be an uplifting read for Christians who need a pep talk to recharge their faith walk, or who are feeling overburdened with the unrealistic expectations of their church’s doctrines.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
