A 'refreshing call to have fun' as Christians

EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY:
A Gospel Call to Bold Enjoyment
By Ray Ortlund
Crossway. 160 pages. £12.99
ISBN 979 8 874 905 811

Is the Christian life a grim, white-knuckle ride of dreary endurance and joyless self-denial in the cause of Christ? Ray Ortlund’s book, Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, is a refreshing call to be curious, take bold risks, and have fun.

Using Ecclesiastes 11v9-10 as his basis, Ortlund encourages Christians to pursue godly enjoyment and thank God for His good gifts. God wants us to enjoy His creation, and we need joy to thrive! Even small pleasures in everyday life, such as eating ice cream with a loved one, can be experienced as “a moment of divine grace parachuting into our simple ordinary”. Readers are also urged to be open to the bigger adventures God may have for us. Too often we hold back from taking risks, afraid of the consequences, but Ortlund encourages us to follow our God-given passions and see where they lead.