The Pursuit Of God

I like Christian biographies. I use them quite often as both inspiration and devotional. One of my favorite biographers is Lyle Dorsett. He was a professor at Wheaton College when I was there, although I never had a class with him. He writes biographies, not just as history, but for use by Christians as a learning tool. These are not hagiography (presenting the subject as perfect-saints) but real looks at real people.

I have read several of the books by Dorsett and when I saw one on A. W. Tozer last spring, I picked it up. I really knew nothing about Tozer before the biography (my review).

Soon after I read the biography of Tozer christianaudio.com had The Pursuit of God as a free audiobook. The book is brief, just under 100 pages in paper. But it is a full and rich look at the Christian life.

If you are serious about seeking after God, this book will give you both inspiration and real theological meat about how we can actively seek after God.

Tozer makes a distinction between salvation and pursuit. He believes we can be saved, but then do nothing to purse God after our salvation. He says we are given the power to pursue God by the Holy Spirit, but we have to respond to God to get the benefit of the Holy Spirit’s power. It is a very orthodox (small O) book, but shows where Christian culture and orthodoxy can sometimes differ. I am going to add it to my "read again" list. It is richer than what the audio really allows.

Grover Gardner narrated the audiobook. He is one of my favorite narrators. And because he has narrated so many theological books that I love, I think I have made him (or his voice) into the uber-Christian intellectual. He is Richard Foster, Eugene Peterson, EM Bounds, AW Tozer, RC Sproul, and a host of others, all rolled into one. But he also narrates a lot of fiction.

originally posted on my blog at http://bookwi.se/the-pursuit-of-god-by-aw-tozer/

I have read this book several times. I have an electronical copy. Without question this book stands head and shoulders over the rest of Christian literature. I have given many copies away to assist people in the walk with Jesus. There is little doubt that A.W.Tozer was a 20th Century prophet, the likes of which we desperately need in this generation as we witness the demise of Christianity. Not overlooking the Sovereignty of God to change things powerfully. If he felt the pain and was daunted by what he saw in the early part of the last century then I am glad he resides with the Lord in the Holy of Holies because he would be horrified to see the fall of Christianity as defined through the Bible and the escalation of humanism in the world today.
He passes along his desire for the Dvine to his readers and listeners. He challenges them to seek the Lord and be humbled before the Him.
What a great servant of the Lord God. We thank God as his ministry continues today.
RH. Australia.

In searching for the words to write a proper review for this book, I continue to find that my vocabulary is coming up short. My desire is to write a review that will point you to the purchase of this book, whether you buy the audio version or the print version it is a purchase that I highly recommend.

I read through this book several years ago, and find that it still holds a place of prominence in my thinking. His words stirred in me a deeper passion for God and answered questions that I didn't even know that I was asking. I hesitate writing this way at the risk of sounding over-dramatic, but it had a truly dramatic impact in my life. Nearly every page of the book is filled with thoughts and ideas that deserve quoting and reveal the accumulated wisdom of this man.

In the preface of the book we hear how there is a scarcity of attributed quotes because this is a work of Tozer's years of study and accumulated knowledge. In other words, there are ideas that he freely attributes to others, but because of the years of study he can't pinpoint where specific ideas came from. It is also told that Tozer wrote this book while on his knees. That position of prayer if felt throughout every page.

Over the last few days as I have listened to the audio version of this book, I have found that it has once again added fuel to the fire of my passions for God. The voice talent for this book, Grover Gardner, read in such a way that I felt as if I was listening to Tozer himself narrating this book to me while he prayed through these words.

I would like to encourage to you consider purchasing this book. Especially if you already own the print version, the audio version will bring things to the surface that you have never noticed before.

A. W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God is now on my list of books recommended for all who wear the name of Christ. Though it was written over 50 years ago, Tozer speaks against an apathy that is unfortunately alive and well in today’s church. I found his book challenging not only to that spirit of apostasy as well as personally. I found that I was asking myself, “When did I decide that I’d had *enough* God?” I’ve quoted lines from it, prayed the prayers within it and am now listening to it for a second time. It is well-written by Tozer and well-read by Gardner. My only complaint is the way it’s divided; the ten chapters are divided into three parts and Part 2 begins in the middle of a chapter. It would be nice to have them divided by chapter so that it would be easier to restart from where one had left off.

Grover Gardner renders Tozer's classic work of man in pursuit of the Divine with empathy and sensitivity. He speaks with certitude about Tozer's recognition of man’s search for spiritual maturity and his definition of that search as man seeking an intimate relationship with his Maker. However, Tozer believes modern Christians lack the spiritual receptivity to see God in the ordinary. Tozer reminds listeners that man's emptiness and restlessness are from the Divine and that peace can only be found in Him. This book is excellent for any Christian, whether a new believer or one with a mature relationship with Christ. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine