God for Us: Discovering the Heart of the Father Through the Life of the Son

Abby Ross Hutto

Reviewed by: Dorinda Beale

God for Us: Discovering the Heart of the Father Through the Life of the Son, by Abby Ross Hutto. P&R, 2019. Paperback, 216 pages, $11.50. Reviewed by OP member Dorinda Beale.

So many Christian books these days tend to be long on experience and short on what Scripture can teach us, and I was concerned that God for Us would be no different. But Abby Ross Hutto, a PCA member involved in nonprofit ministry, marries these two approaches. While the book includes many personal stories to learn from, there is no shortage of interaction with Scripture, specifically the truths we are taught in the Gospel of John.

The book is divided into thirteen chapters. Each chapter begins with a true story of a person the author has known, each one of whom “struggle to believe that God is who He claims to be,” she states. All of the problems and issues she addresses in these chapters are things that most of us have experienced to some degree or another: grief, a sense of helplessness, feeling lost, being wounded, betrayed, afflicted, and—my favorite chapter—feeling like a failure.

Each story is matched with a particular account from the Gospel of John as Hutto takes us through the Gospel from beginning to end. With that biblical insight, she then returns to the personal story, explaining how each person was able to overcome problems by truly understanding that God is for us. His love and care for us overshadow any problem we face. Hutto then provides some Old Testament Scripture to aid in understanding even more deeply the account in John that was paired with each story. Finally, there are pertinent questions at the end of each chapter to contemplate.

I have already given this book to two women, and I believe anyone would benefit from reading it. Think especially about the women you know who may struggle with understanding their problems in light of Christ’s accomplishments. This book would be helpful because, as Paul says, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). It might also be especially appropriate for a new believer who needs to understand more of what God has accomplished for us through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

This would also be a great study guide for the Gospel of John, although I would recommend supplementing it with applicable Scripture passages.