Power & Glory Forever!

In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day
Mark Batterson
Multnomah Books

This book offers a philosophy for life through the study of a warrior named Benaiah.

We get this description of the mighty warrior from the Hebrew Bible: "And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear." II Samuel 23:20-21

Benaiah went on to command the armed forces of King David, the greatest king to rule in Israel's long, turbulent history. Under King David, and his son Solomon, Israel knew it's greatest peace and prosperity. Every king needs mighty warriors under his command, and in Benaiah, King David found a kindred spirit. After all, King David had killed lions and tigers in his youth while shepherding his father's flocks, and King David rose to fame in Israel after slaying the giant Philistine, Goliath, and cutting his head off with his own sword.

Mark Batterson shows how adversity often prepares us for future achievement, much like a warrior trains for battle. He also points out that a life lived for the King is one of adventure and uncertainty. You never know what obstacle you will face next, and often the reward you receive for being a faithful follower is much more glorious than you ever imagined.

Life is an epic romance, filled with twists and turns. It's a quest, and on a quest, you need the fellowship of like-minded warrior. King David surrouned himself with mighty men including Benaiah. We would be wise to do the same.

Conclusion
The book has a lot of good, practical advice, but it is lacking the passion and voice of authors like John Eldredge and Ted Dekker who write about the same topics with more vigor. Still, the life of a great warrior is always worth investigating.