Review: Scouting the Divine by Margaret Feinberg

If you’ve not found Margaret Feinberg yet…you might want to pick up Scouting the Divine (comes out in paperback on March 1, 2011).  Having only read The Organic God, I wasn’t sure what I’d find.  I was amazed to find myself 35 pages in before I knew it.  Better, I was enchanted by an captivating retelling of an encounter with a shepherdess and her sheep.  Part of the bargain?  A great collection of new insights into the world of the Great Shepherd.

The subtitle of Scouting the Divine offers a hint: “My Search for God in Wine, Wool, and Wild Honey.”  Can you tell where Feinberg is going?  I found myself pulled into the work by this quote from her introduction:

What does it mean to know Jesus is the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God when the only places I’ve encountered sheep are petting zoos and Greek restaurants?  How do we learn to wait for the harvest when we live in a culture of easy access?  How can I understand the promise of a land overflowing with milk and honey when the only honey I buy comes in a bear-shaped bottle at my local grocery store?  Can I grasp the urgency of Jesus’ invitation to abide in the vine when I shop for grapes at Costco?

Scouting the Divine is artfully divided into four parts; engaging firsthand encounters with a shepherd, a farmer, a beekeeper, and a vintner.  Much like W. Phillip Keller’s, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Feinberg has given us two things: a devotional experience that will awaken a more personal read of Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels and a resource that will bring a fresh approach for teachers and communicators.

Like The Organic God, I think this will also be a resource for groups looking for a book to read together.  Although it doesn’t come equipped with a fully functional set of discussion questions, skillful leaders will have an easy time guiding their members through the journey by incorporating a journal and companion readings in the Gospels and Psalms.  Scouting the Divine will be a good addition to your recommended list for devotional reading.