Review: Comforts from Romans by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick

5 out of 5 Stars
Author: Elyse M. Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Crossway
Buy Comforts from Romans: Celebrating the Gospel One Day at a Time
Reading Level: Easy

Comforts from Romans is a tour de force of gospel goodness. Elyse moves expositionally through Romans unpacking the gospel in each chapter. The book is structured for use as a daily devotion. This book is part joyful worship, part balm for the weary soul, part hope for the hopeless, and part redounding proclamation of the greatness of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We’ve come to think of the word devotional in terms of Our Daily Bread or Ligonier’s Table Talk (both helpful in their own right) but J. I. Packer says,

Whatever the reason, the fact is there, and our idea of devotion appears foreshortened. Once it signified adhering to God, the Father, the Son and the Spirit, in loyalty and love with all one’s heart, mind, soul, and strength; a single-minded concetration on praising and pleasing God as our life’s key activities. And included in the understanding of devotion was an appetite for learning wisdom from didactiv study and exposition of Scripture (Puritan Portraits “Prologue”).

Comforts from Romans fits nicely in with Packer’s description of devotion. Elyse will make you hunger and thirst after God and her single-minded focus on the gospel will drive you to depend on Christ alone and drive you to love our God, Father, Son, and Spirit, with your heart, mind, soul, and strength. What I also liked about this devotional compared to others was that each section was slightly longer than your average “devotional.” Most of the time you get about a half a page blurb with most. In this book you’re getting two or three pages of gospel rich soil (again nothing against shorter devotional but it’s nice to see variety).

My only complaint was I was left wanting more. Why stop at Romans 8? Even with her purpose in mind, why not finish the book and do 60 days or 90 days worth of devotions? I would urge Elyse to keep writing these kinds of devotionals. Why not write them for every New Testament book? Ambitious but it would serve the church well and and teach others how to keep the gospel centered as they read through the Bible. Overall this book is a can’t miss.

A free copy of this book was provided by Crossway. If you plan on purchasing Comforts from Romans: Celebrating the Gospel One Day at a Time consider supporting Grace for Sinners by purchasing from Amazon.