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How Shall I Go To God?: Living Water for the Spiritually Thirsty [Updated and Annotated]
If you ask, He will give you living water! That is all you have to do – ask. How real, how true, how free – yet how simple! This is grace. He loves us not because we are rich in goodness, but because He is rich in mercy; not because we are worthy of His favor, but because He delights in lovingkindness. His welcome to us comes from His own graciousness, not from our lovableness. Christ invites the weary. It is this weariness that fits you for Him and Him for you.
Pardon, peace, and life – all of them are gifts, divine gifts, brought down from heaven by the Son of God, presented personally to each needy sinner by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are not to be bought but received as men receive the sunshine – complete and sure and free. They are not to be earned or deserved by exertions, sufferings, prayers, or tears, but should be accepted at once as the purchase of the labors and sufferings of the great Substitute. They are not to be waited for but taken on the spot without hesitation or distrust, as men take the loving gift of a generous friend. They are not to be claimed on the ground of fitness or goodness, but of need, unworthiness, poverty, and emptiness.
Lift up your eyes and look to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith!
About the Author
In 1808, Horatius Bonar was born into a family of several generations of ministers of the gospel. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh and was ordained in 1838. As a young pastor at North Parish, Kelso, he preached in villages and farmhouses, proving himself to be a comforter and guide. In 1843, he joined 450 other pastors to form the Free Church of Scotland after the “Disruption.” Horatius Bonar wrote numerous books, tracts, periodicals, and more than 600 hymns. He believed that people needed truth, not opinions; God, not theology; and Christ, not religion. From his first sermon to his last, he ended with “In such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.”
Pardon, peace, and life – all of them are gifts, divine gifts, brought down from heaven by the Son of God, presented personally to each needy sinner by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are not to be bought but received as men receive the sunshine – complete and sure and free. They are not to be earned or deserved by exertions, sufferings, prayers, or tears, but should be accepted at once as the purchase of the labors and sufferings of the great Substitute. They are not to be waited for but taken on the spot without hesitation or distrust, as men take the loving gift of a generous friend. They are not to be claimed on the ground of fitness or goodness, but of need, unworthiness, poverty, and emptiness.
Lift up your eyes and look to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith!
About the Author
In 1808, Horatius Bonar was born into a family of several generations of ministers of the gospel. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh and was ordained in 1838. As a young pastor at North Parish, Kelso, he preached in villages and farmhouses, proving himself to be a comforter and guide. In 1843, he joined 450 other pastors to form the Free Church of Scotland after the “Disruption.” Horatius Bonar wrote numerous books, tracts, periodicals, and more than 600 hymns. He believed that people needed truth, not opinions; God, not theology; and Christ, not religion. From his first sermon to his last, he ended with “In such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.”
- GenresChristianNonfiction
69 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2024
47 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Horatius Bonar
559 books42 followersHoratius Bonar (19 December, 1808 – 31 May, 1889) was a Scottish churchman and poet.
The son of James Bonar, Solicitor of Excise for Scotland, he was born and educated in Edinburgh. He comes from a long line of ministers who have served a total of 364 years in the Church of Scotland. One of eleven children, his brothers John James and Andrew Alexander were also ministers of the Free Church of Scotland. He had married Jane Catherine Lundie in 1843 and five of their young children died in succession. Towards the end of their lives, one of their surviving daughters was left a widow with five small children and she returned to live with her parents. Bonar's wife, Jane, died in 1876. He is buried in the Canongate Kirkyard.
In 1853 Bonar earned the Doctor of Divinity degree at the University of Aberdeen.
He entered the Ministry of the Church of Scotland. At first he was put in charge of mission work at St. John's parish in Leith and settled at Kelso. He joined the Free Church at the time of the Disruption of 1843, and in 1867 was moved to Edinburgh to take over the Chalmers Memorial Church (named after his teacher at college, Dr. Thomas Chalmers). In 1883, he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland.
The son of James Bonar, Solicitor of Excise for Scotland, he was born and educated in Edinburgh. He comes from a long line of ministers who have served a total of 364 years in the Church of Scotland. One of eleven children, his brothers John James and Andrew Alexander were also ministers of the Free Church of Scotland. He had married Jane Catherine Lundie in 1843 and five of their young children died in succession. Towards the end of their lives, one of their surviving daughters was left a widow with five small children and she returned to live with her parents. Bonar's wife, Jane, died in 1876. He is buried in the Canongate Kirkyard.
In 1853 Bonar earned the Doctor of Divinity degree at the University of Aberdeen.
He entered the Ministry of the Church of Scotland. At first he was put in charge of mission work at St. John's parish in Leith and settled at Kelso. He joined the Free Church at the time of the Disruption of 1843, and in 1867 was moved to Edinburgh to take over the Chalmers Memorial Church (named after his teacher at college, Dr. Thomas Chalmers). In 1883, he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland.
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November 13, 2024This is a wonderful little book speaking mainly to how one comes to Christ, and the necessity to understand it is Christ's works that make us righteous and ours never can (Rom 4 & 5; Titus 3.5-7; and the many other clear places of Scripture appealed to in order to show it), including personal examples from Bonar of how he's had that conversation with people and helped them to see the promise of the Gospel. Of how to see God accepts Christ's work on our behalf, what it means for God to accept another's work for us. How the Lord is patient and withstands much, calling the sinners to Him.
He does also touch on other topics such as how this same idea is necessary for understanding the Christian life, that all we do is still reliant on God's work for the relationship to grow not ours. But it is largely focused on justification, rather than sanctification, however it makes some important notes on the dangers of focusing too much on self in these efforts.
Ch. 1: How Shall I Go to God?
Ch. 2: What Is My Hope?
Ch. 3: Instead Of Me?
Ch. 4: The Long Time
Ch. 5: I Can’t Let Go
Ch. 6: Where? Where?
Ch. 7: The World Passes Away
Ch. 8: What If It All Is True?
Ch. 9: The Ages to Come
Horatius Bonar - A Brief Biography
He does also touch on other topics such as how this same idea is necessary for understanding the Christian life, that all we do is still reliant on God's work for the relationship to grow not ours. But it is largely focused on justification, rather than sanctification, however it makes some important notes on the dangers of focusing too much on self in these efforts.
Ch. 1: How Shall I Go to God?
Ch. 2: What Is My Hope?
Ch. 3: Instead Of Me?
Ch. 4: The Long Time
Ch. 5: I Can’t Let Go
Ch. 6: Where? Where?
Ch. 7: The World Passes Away
Ch. 8: What If It All Is True?
Ch. 9: The Ages to Come
Horatius Bonar - A Brief Biography
December 20, 2025
The Gospel of salvation in Christ explained
This book is wonderfully written. It sets forth the gospel in clear terms with many examples. Horatius Bonar urges his readers to receive the gift of salvation and makes it clear that salvation is not based on what we have done, would rather on Christ as the only acceptable Substitute to take the punishment for our sins and to credit his righteousness to our account.
He Quotes John Newton:
“Thus, while His death my sin displays In all its blackest hue,
Such is the mystery of grace, It seals my pardon too.”
This book is wonderfully written. It sets forth the gospel in clear terms with many examples. Horatius Bonar urges his readers to receive the gift of salvation and makes it clear that salvation is not based on what we have done, would rather on Christ as the only acceptable Substitute to take the punishment for our sins and to credit his righteousness to our account.
He Quotes John Newton:
“Thus, while His death my sin displays In all its blackest hue,
Such is the mystery of grace, It seals my pardon too.”
May 4, 2025
A Light For The Lost and Hope For The Hopeless
If you are lost, this will light your path. If you are without hope, this will point you to hope eternal.
If you are lost, this will light your path. If you are without hope, this will point you to hope eternal.
August 20, 2025
Hope for eternity with God.
It is a very good presentation of the Gospel. It is very uplifting and encouraging. It is very easy to read and understand.
It is a very good presentation of the Gospel. It is very uplifting and encouraging. It is very easy to read and understand.
December 22, 2025
Amazing read!
A good read to fuel the zeal and passion for my salvation. I highly encourage every believer to read. Convictions with compassion.
A good read to fuel the zeal and passion for my salvation. I highly encourage every believer to read. Convictions with compassion.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews