In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day: Book Review

I’ve be experiencing a sense of synergy as of late. It seems that everything that I’ve been reading or talking about has all centered around the idea of taking the risk.

That’s why it came as no surprise to me that Mark Batterson’s newest book, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, continued pushing me to reflect upon the nature of uncertainty and the desire within me to put it all on the line.

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day is all about taking risks. The title comes from what seems like one of the most insignificant passages in all of scripture. 2 Samuel 23:20-1 tells us all we need to know about a man named Benaiah:

There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two of Moab’s mightiest warriors. Another time he chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it. Another time, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.

In Texas we would call Benaiah a hoss! I had to read the story over and over in every translation of the Bible I have available to me to believe that this story was in there. I had never heard it before and now I can’t stop thinking about it. What an incredible dude!!! But according to Batterson, we can all be lion chasers like Benaiah, every single one of us.

Batterson believes that God uses “past experiences to prepare us for future opportunities” but warns “those God-given opportunities often come disguised as man-eating lions. And how we react when we encounter those lions will determine our destiny.”

See, Benaiah could have walked away from the Moabites because he was out numbered, he could have avoided the fight with the Egyptian, and he could of certainly steered clear of the lion but would he still have been hired as a bodyguard for David which eventually led to him taking over as commander of God’s army. I’m not sure. According to Batterson, “God is in the business of resume making.”

The book is a great read. Batterson’s style is engaging, funny, and at times, incredibly challenging. Using stories from his own experience in the risk-taking world of church planting Batterson grounds the book firmly in reality.

The book is presented well and it can be read very quickly. Each chapter has a summary and questions for further thought or to be used within a small group setting.

Batterson is the pastor at National Community Church in the nation’s capital. I have been reading his blog, Evotional, for quite some time and I have benefited greatly from his thoughts and his heart for ministry. (Evotional has the best banner pic hands down)

I am highly recommending this incredible book to everyone that I know. It isn’t your typical book where you highlight your favorite passages and then place it on the shelf to be forgotten. Batterson dares you to move asking “What lion is God calling you to chase?”

After reading In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day I made some pretty difficult decisions about taking on some big, hairy lions in my life. Opportunities have presented themselves and I pursuing them. I don’t want to miss out on what God has planned just because I was too afraid to move.

So right now, I’m out chasing lions with my Dad. Take the risk. Come and join us!!!

ChasetheLion.com