“In a Pit, With a Lion, On a Snowy Day” is the title of a new book by Mark Batterson. I was intrigued with the title and went to Amazon to check it out.
The back cover of the book questions: “What if the life you really want, and the future God wants for you, is hiding right now in your biggest problem, your worst failure…your greatest fear?”
Great question. Reflect on that for a while.
I haven’t read the book but totally enjoyed the free chapter available on Amazon. The premise is based upon an obscure passage from the Bible—
“Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was another famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man who was armed with a spear. Benaiah attacked him with his club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with it.” 2 Samuel 23:20-21, ESV
So, you’re reading along and come upon a little known person in the Bible and you note that it lists a few of his accomplishments and then you do a double-take on the phrase, “He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.”
As Batterson points out, what’s Benaiah doing? You run away from lions. You don’t chase lions. You don’t go down into a pit with lions, especially in slippery snowy conditions. And yet, that very experience is what God used to launch Benaiah into the next chapter of his life where he became captain of the bodyguard for King David.
The back cover of the book questions: “What if the life you really want, and the future God wants for you, is hiding right now in your biggest problem, your worst failure…your greatest fear?”
Great question. Reflect on that for a while.
I haven’t read the book but totally enjoyed the free chapter available on Amazon. The premise is based upon an obscure passage from the Bible—
“Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was another famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man who was armed with a spear. Benaiah attacked him with his club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with it.” 2 Samuel 23:20-21, ESV
So, you’re reading along and come upon a little known person in the Bible and you note that it lists a few of his accomplishments and then you do a double-take on the phrase, “He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.”
As Batterson points out, what’s Benaiah doing? You run away from lions. You don’t chase lions. You don’t go down into a pit with lions, especially in slippery snowy conditions. And yet, that very experience is what God used to launch Benaiah into the next chapter of his life where he became captain of the bodyguard for King David.
What’s the problem, the failure, the fear (aka lion) that is staring at you and intimidating you today? Could it be that God is inviting you into danger and risk that will make your life rather than break your life; define your life rather than destroy your life?
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