The Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson serves as a solid read for any person struggling with uncertainty and making decisions related to God’s will for their life. Batterson coined a term “inverted Christianity” to reflect the modern worldview - we do not follow God but want Him to follow our dreams and our passions. His solution is nothing new but his approach brings a smile. Batterson references the Celtic word for the Holy Spirit which, when translated into English, means the wild goose. In other words, we need to exchange our penchant for safety and predictability for a spiritual adventure that glorifies God.
To accomplish this task, Batterson discusses 6 cages that we can become trapped within, and those cages serve as the chapters for his book. The six cages are: responsibility, routine, assumptions, guilt, failure, and fear. He describes each in detail and points out the fallacy while also providing some solutions to circumvent then. To conclude the book, he fills the last 3 pages with one-liners that summarizes the previous points. That format is a great way to allow those ideas to “stick.”
Batterson’s overall conclusion is solid. He admonishes us to live every day as if it were our last. Page 170 contains a sobering quote that I have to include in this review. He says that we must “remember, ultimately, it’s not about you. It’s about the One who wants to write His-story through your life.” That change in focus releases anyone from the cages of life as they recognize that God is always in control.
My sole issue rests in the fact that this is a great book with great thoughts but it is “goose light.” Batterson spent a great deal of time dealing with his church and other neat stories, but I would like to have seen a more detailed exegesis of Scripture. If we are supposed to chase God (i.e. the wild goose chase), then should that pursuit not begin and end with His recorded Word to us? He seemed to bring in Scripture where it fit his point rather than operating from the perspective that here is what God’s Word says and now we must apply it in this fashion. While some people may view that as semantics, I do not. If God’s Word, the source of all truth, is the foundation upon which we can base our knowledge of God and our eternal destiny, then it must serve as the pillar of any discussion about chasing God.
Despite my reservation of the format, this is a must read for those wrestling with the direction of their life. I would temper that recommendation by suggesting a detailed read of the Romans!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. For additional details, please visit http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
I saw this book and wondered about it. Thanks for your thoughts and the review. :O)
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