Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Week 11: Third Flight — The Final Unraveling
Read Part Five, Chapters 40–43 of Redeeming Love. Primary Scripture: Luke 15:20 ('But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him').
Previewing Week 11 of Redeeming Love
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 15-week guide when you’re ready.
Angel's third departure seems, on the surface, like a failure of everything — but Rivers is steering toward something the reader cannot yet see.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Angel's third flight feels different from the previous two — both to her and to the reader. What is different about her state of mind and heart this time? Is she running from love, or is she running toward something that the novel frames as part of her calling?
2.At this point in the story, some readers feel frustrated with Angel for leaving again. Others feel they finally understand her. Where do you land, and what does your reaction reveal about your own assumptions about how healing and transformation should work?
3.Michael's response to Angel's third departure is the most theologically significant of all. He releases her. How does releasing someone — not pursuing them this time — become the deepest act of love in the novel? What does this suggest about the nature of genuine freedom?
a.How does this reflect the way God relates to human free will — pursuing, wooing, but ultimately not coercing?