Chasing Daylight

So I just finished the book Chasing Daylight by Erwin Raphael McManus. This is a must read for everyone wanting to live! The book is a quick read but with loads of deep stuff. The book takes the story of Saul and Jonathan going to fight the Philistines in a battle. Saul takes his outpost and decides to camp under a pomegranate tree which means he is not going to be doing any fighting soon. So while they are Jonathan takes his armour barrier and goes over the Philistine side, not really sure what will happen once they arrive (risk & uncertainty). He tells the armour barrier that if the Philistines call them up, they will live but if the Philistines come down to them, they will die. Well Jonathan and his armour bearer get called up and in a matter of moments, they have slayed loads of men in a small acre. While that is happening, lots of other events are taking place. Saul soon realizes what has happened and that his son is gone. Traitors from the Hebrew army that had joined the enemy remember who they are and rejoined the Israelites in battle. In addition, the Israelites hiding out in the hills also joined the Jonathan in the fight. And of course, God showed up in a major way like He does.

All this was made possible by Jonathan who refused to give up a divine moment. His action of taking initiative to engage in battle and seize a divine moment caused a chain reaction. The faithful were unleashed to join in , the paralyzed were mobilized, the prodigals returned and the fearful, broken people were able to conquer fears, join the battle full heartily. All the groups were able to truly enjoy the victory. By one person choosing to make a difference in the kingdom of God by not allowing a divine moment to pass by, their environment was impacted and lives were changed. Jonathans choose to live and seize the power of divine moments.

McManus sums up the book like this. "You know where to begin: take initiative. You know who God is, so embrace life's uncertainty. Remember that the person you are becoming in Jesus Christ is your greatest gift to others, so use your influence. Every great adventure is filled with peril and danger, but the risk is worth it. You have already been authorized to move forward, so advance. Impact your world by fighting the battles that are on God's heart. Move with urgency that creates a movement. Engage in an adventure so compelling that it causes the awakening of the dead in spirit. In this moment, each of us will have to choose. Will you seize the power of every moment or let them slip away?" (p257).

All of us are called to live and to do it without fear. Real living comes with risk and uncertainty. And that is okay. God has given us things we are passionate about and when we are passionate about God, we can trust those passions. When we choose to seize a divine moment, we may or may not see the full outcome like Jonathan. But that is okay. Failing to venture out is traumatic and a life wasted. So the question remains, are we going to seize moments because we are chasing daylight? Jesus challenges us, "As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. While I'm in the world, I am the light of the world." What Christ is saying, is to stop wasting your time and start chasing daylight.