For me, Sunday is a work day. So I often turn to podcasts or books to supplement my Bible study. I just don’t have the opportunity to just sit and meditate on classes or sermons in a way that I would like. I try and fill my free-time by listening to different voices that motivate me, educate me, lift me up, and challenge me. One of those voices is Mark Batterson from National Community Church in Washington, DC.
I was blown away by Mark’s first book In the Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day. The idea that God is in the midst of the difficult times in your life and that He is redeeming the pain and struggle for his glory really resonated with my heart. Since reading In a Pit there hasn’t been a day go by where I haven’t thought about Chasing the Lions in my life and trusting that God will mold me and allow me to glorify him.
Now Mark is asking us to Chase the Goose.
Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ I love the imagery and implications. The name hints at the mysterious nature of the Holy Spirit. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit’s leading through life than Wild Goose chase. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something that institutionalized Christianity has missed out on. And I wonder if we have clipped the wings of the Wild Goose and settled for something less – much less – than what God originally intended for us.
I understand that “wild goose chase” typically refers to a purposeless endeavor without a defined destination. But chasing the Wild Good is different. The promptings of the Holy Spirit can sometimes seem pretty pointless, but rest assured, God is working his plan. And if you chase the Wild Goose, He will take you places you never could have imagined going by paths you never knew existed.
Wild Goose Chase is another winner from Mark Batterson. Mark takes the reader through 6 cages that keep us locked up and prevent us from running free to chase after all God has in store for us. With each emotional cage the reader is given a biblical hero who struggled through being caged and how God set them free and called them into the Chase. Here is how Mark structures the book:
- The Cage of Responsibility (Nehemiah)
- The Cage of Routine (Moses)
- The Cage of Assumptions (Abraham)
- The Cage of Guilt (Peter)
- The Cage of Failure (Paul)
- The Cage of Fear (Jonathan)
Wild Goose Chase succeeds because it is succinct, practical, and grounded in scripture. Another reason that this book is so great is that Mark isn’t afraid to use his real-life experiences (poignant, funny, or embarrassing) to show that this isn’t some high-minded theological mumbojumbo. The Chase is real and as such can be experienced by all who passionately seek after God.
Mark has such a heart for God that you can’t help but be inspired by his message. The reader will walk away from this book with a sense of God’s grace, majesty, and calling. Beyond that Mark fills the book with useful step-by-step suggestions to starting the chase through goal-setting, prayer, and service ideas.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Maybe you feel like you’ve just been spinning your wheels lately. You’ve lost sense of your passions, your purpose, or your first love. You want to pursue this great God who created you, loved you, sacrificed for you. You just don’t know where to start. Wild Goose Chase might help you reconnect with that One who has been pursuing you. Maybe it can help rekindle your desire and maybe it will introduce you to the One who is worth every hour, every minute, every ounce of strength you can put into the pursuit.
Go on…Chase the Goose!
Want a FREE copy of Wild Goose Chase? I have a copy of Wild Goose Chase sitting on my desk for one lucky reader. If you want it, email me at kickingatthedarkness (AT) gmail (DOT) com and tell me why you want to read this book. Make sure you send your address and phone number so I can contact you to tell you that you have been chosen. I will take entries from today (8/12) through Noon (CST) this Friday (8/15). Good luck.
Official Website for Wild Goose Chase
Details:
Title: Wild Goose Chase
Author: Mark Batterson
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Multnomah Books
Release Date: August 19, 2008