What if one of the most powerful stories of grace was found in an 1862 secular novel that once was banned by the Catholic church? Such is the case with Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, which tells the story of an ex-convict (Jean Valjean) who is shown grace by a bishop but is chased by a letter-of-the law prison guard named Javert, who knows nothing of mercy and forgiveness. In The Gospel According to Les Misérables: 30 Devotions to Inspire Faith, author Selena Sarns guides us through the story to reveal the biblical parallels and gospel symbols that have made Les Misérables a favorite novel to Christians throughout the world. Each chapter includes a Bible verse, a devotional and a closing thought. On Bishop Myriel, Sarns writes: "God comes to us in our lives in much the same way as the Bishop and Valjean. He sees us as worthy of His mercy, and proved it by sending His own beloved Son to take away our sin." On Valjean, she writes: "Valjean is really not so different from any of us. We may not be thieves, but we all have sin in our lives that can take the shape of many a transgression against God." On Javert, she writes: "Mankind is like Javert in many ways. Often, we try to justify that the 'eye for an eye' attitude is fair and right. [But] God has established set principles that we are to live by. ... Javert knew nothing of a compassionate spirit, and that is where humans find their biggest conflict: they seek to live a life that is based upon their own 'law.'" It can be used for small groups, family devotionals or personal study. The Gospel According to Les Misérables will challenge you to examine your faith and beliefs from a whole new perspective. Pick up your copy today and let this classic story enlighten and inspire your faith in fresh ways.