Lion Chasing

I recently finished a book by Mark Batterson titled In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. I started it early last semester, but when school got crazy, it got washed to the wayside. Well... I started it again and recently finished it. VERY good book. I would highly suggest it.


The book is based off of a passage of scripture from 2 Samuel 23:20-21 where Benaiah chased a lion down into a pit. Despite the slippery ground and snow, he caught and killed the lion. It is possibly one of the most courageous and yet somewhat audacious acts in scripture but is often passed over. Benaiah goes on to be chief of Solomon's army for his courage.

Batterson uses this passage of scripture to suggest that we all face lions on snowy days in our lives. However... to live the life that God has planned for us, there are times when we have to face the lions in our life and chase them. If God can do immeasurably more than we can ever imagine (Eph 3:20) , we have to trust that the God-sized risks He is calling us to are the path we need to take. Batterson suggests that when we take the time to look in the rear view mirror of life "you'll see that God has purposely positioned you everywhere you've been-- even when it seemed you'd taken a wrong turn." As I think back through my life... Gods hand has been in it all. Right there.... even when I felt like I had not only taken a wrong turn, but was totally off the map and path.

The following was posted on Mark's blog recently. He calls it the Lion Chaser's Manifesto. It has been resonating in me recently... maybe because its the new year, maybe because my life as I knew it changed recently... who knows and well... its really not important why. But... I hope that maybe you will find some sort of courage or strength to chase the lions God has put in your life as it has me.

"Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue god-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Criticize by creating. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion."