Chasing the King
Chasing the King, has become an important phrase for me over the last few years. I guess you could call it a personal mantra, but really it’s so much more. It has become my answer to one of the most foundational questions we all ask in life…”what do you want?”. My simple answer is, “I want to chase the king”.
In Tim Bolke’s book, Thin Places, he talks about the early Celtic Christians referring to the Holy Spirit as the wild goose. Their idea was, while God is personal and close, he is also the creator and almighty. They believed what the scriptures said about this almighty God; that he is all powerful and can not be contained.
When we look at creation, we have to admit there is an element to God that is wild and unpredictable. Creation screams of His power and beauty and tells us that God is not like us. The wild places on our earth remind us that we are small and He is so much bigger than we can imagine.
Over the last few years, I have come to believe, like the Celtics, that the pursuit of our King is indeed sort of like chasing a wild goose. I believe that our journey with him is not supposed to be tame or predictable; for he is an adventurous and imaginative God that asks us to follow where he is moving. And the more I think about this, the more I realize that chasing after this wild goose is a requirement to live a life to the full.
Chasing after the King means that we agree to live life on his terms, not ours. It is the belief that if we truly want all that Jesus has for us, he is going to ask us to take risk, to follow him into seemingly dangerous places (both physically and spiritually), and to seek him with all our hearts. That is what I want; all of Jesus and nothing less. I want his best life for me, where ever that takes me.
A few months ago, eight men from past Refresh Groups joined Josh and I in a new leadership adventure in Estes Park, Colorado. This experience is designed for those who have traveled through Refresh, teaching them the leadership skills required to finish the race well (1 Cor 9:24). The central theme to this adventure is simple - great leaders chase after the King.
I have struggled for weeks now about posting this short film. All of our experiences have an element of mystery and delight. We intentionally DON’T tell you all of the details so that you will be forced to get out of your comfort zone as you seek Jesus with us. However, after thinking and praying about it, there is no way we could hold this back.
Before you watch this, let me say a few things.
First, what you will see in this film is amazing. The sheer beauty of the mountains and the landscape will take your breath away. This film was not planned in advance and so we shot every second of this adventure on an iPhone X. Think about that as you watch. We didn’t use high end equipment or expensive lenses. That’s how beautiful this place is!
But, it does not and can not compare with the real experience. It is like the difference between describing the best meal of your life and actually tasting that meal. You can see it and imagine it, but it is no substitute for that first, mouth-watering bite. So, this film could never diminish the experience we take men on in Estes Park. It is simply, a tease.
Second, this film has an element of adventure to it. But, let me say that this is not just about the adventure. This experience is about chasing after a wild and unpredictable God on his terms; his landscape. It’s about taking risk and going to seemingly dangerous places in hopes that the wild goose might just show up for a moment and breathe new life into us. As the ten of us hiked the Rocky Mountains, we experienced God in a profound way. He spoke to the deepest part of our hearts as we took time to remember his faithfulness and chase after all that he has for us.
Last, I hope this short film inspires you to seek Jesus well. As you watch, think about your own journey and consider this question, “are you chasing after the King?”. I have watched this film over a hundred times now and every time my heart is moved. Each time I think to myself, “I want all of Jesus. I don’t want to live my second best life.” I hope you feel the same way.
