The purpose of this book is to help the reader enjoy, explore, and reflect upon the highly complex and emotional nature of love, life, and relationships as it is presented to us in The Song of Songs. It does so in the light of the brokenness of our world, and especially of our relationships, and with the intention of allowing the life transforming power, purpose, and passion of the Scriptures to have its full effect in our lives.

Commentary
As Good As It Gets will act as a signficant resource for preaching. It makes use of and footnotes all of the major commentaries as it consecutively goes through the Biblical text over a period of 50 days. To make this journey manageable and delightful, each “day” is presented as a short bite sized chapter that takes pleasure in the poetry of love, explores the compelling nature of its imagery, and then moves to a practical “Reflection” which suggests, “Yes, I get it. That’s how love is. Those are the same joys and obstacles that I meet. It is how God loves me, and how I can love others.” At the end of each day you will have a clear understanding of what the Biblical text says, and what it means for life.

Devotional
Each day ends with a “Meditation” which typically contains four parts of Scripture (Psalm, Old Testament, Gospel, Epistle) that picks up on the same image or theme, and takes it all the way through to Christ. A delight in the gospel is always present as the chapter ends with a Prayer intended to cultivate the devotional life of the reader.

Counseling
As Good as it Gets has young couples in mind, although its application is certainly broader than that. Pastors and counselors will find that a particular “day” and topic will act a compelling case study for pre-marital and family counseling. It also has potential for adult Sunday School classes and small groups.