chase
I knew they were launching them in the morning because the sky was a brilliant red as the sun slowly crept across the horizon and the air was still. When I saw the first one float sihouetted across the morning sky, I jumped on my bike and pedalled toward them. My balloon chase was invigorating and purposeful. Myself and others along the trails captured the hot air balloons in full flight on our cell phones, cameras and retinas. It was spectacular!
Police chase criminals, dogs chase balls and people even chase storms. The French word “to hunt or strive for” is “chacier”. When we follow or go after someone or something we want, we are chasing whatever it is in hopes of acquiring whatever that is. I was chasing balloons. Some chase words when they are writing and others chase after illustions and dreams.
Years ago I read a book called Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson. His book is based on 2 Samuel 23 where the warrior, Benaiah chases after a lion. Mark’s book is “a wake-up call to stop living as if the purpose of life was to simply arrive safely at death. Our dreams should scare us. They should be so big that without God they would be impossible to achieve. Quit running away from what you’re afraid of. Chase the lion! Change the world!”
Pharoah and his army chased the Israelites but they were swallowed up into the sea; Joshua chased and defeating countless armies and even David chased after God’s own heart and was rewarded for it. Jesus had a mission on earth to seek and save (Luke 19:10). He pursed the lost. 1 Timothy 6:9-11 tells us that those who chase after riches are constantly falling into snares and temptations, ruin and destruction; wandering from the faith and having many griefs. Riches, fame and love relationships might be important to us, but God pursues us because we are important to him. We can chase the wind, earthly desires and unrealistic dreams, but if we chase after God’s will, God’s word and God’s heart, we can be sure that we are moving in the right direction.
God may be even chasing us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggRCZ6OQVaQ Won’t you let him catch you?