Author and Pastor Mark Batterson.
Mark Batterson is hands down one of the best Christian non-fiction writers to come around in a long time. You have to read one of his books, if you haven’t already, to see for yourself what I mean. All his books are good, but when I read “Chase the Lion,” I turned to my wife and said: “That is the best book I have ever read!” I am sure I felt it at the time, because it made such a mark on me, a mark that remains until this day. If you are looking for book that will inform and encourage and challenge you to take your life up a few notches, this is one I would highly recommend!
This is his sequel to “In A Pit With A Lion In A Pit On A Snowy Day,” which introduced readers to Beniah, one of David’s mighty men, who is given honorable mention in 1 Chronicles 11:22:
“Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.”
As Batterson points out, this is the kind of stuff true heroes are made of. What a bullet point to put on your resume! For Benaiah, it bore fruit. King David made home his bodyguard!
Not since “The Prayer of Jabez” by Bruce Wilkinson (2000) has so much awesome truth been drawn from an obscure passage of scripture. Batterson, again and again, drives home the point: Rise up. Chase your dreams. Slay your challenges. Never stop going for all God has put in your path! Fear nothing but fear itself!
Being a lion chaser is first of all a posture. It is a mindset of optimism and faith that takes responsibility to make the chase. In Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits, it would be the first Habit: Be Proactive. Don’t let life act on you. Take action in life! Chase the lion!
Batterson reminds us:
“In God’s kingdom the outcome isn’t the issue. Success isn’t winning or losing; it’s obeying. … In God’s book success is spelled stewardship. It’s making the most of the time, talent, and treasure God has given you. It’s doing the best you can with what you have, where you are.”
Here are some other memorable quotes from the book:
