Departure

John Eldredge begins off by sharing his experiences while he is in the wild. He tells us he is outdoors and he is trying to track down elk. Eldredge says, "There is something else I am after, out here in the wild. I am searching for an even more elusive prey... something that can only be found through the help of wilderness. I am looking for my heart." What exactly does he mean by saying that our hearts are elusive? Is he trying to say that he lost his heart while walking around in the wild and that it is somewhere running around by its own power and is no where to be found?? I think not! His quote is such a true and genuine thing to say especially today. Where is our masculine hearts?! especially in our churches... He goes on to quote Robert Bly, "Some women want a passive man if they want a man at all; the church wants a tamed man they are called priests; the university wants a domesticated man- they are called tenure-track people; the corporation wants a... sanitized, hairless, shallow man." Where are all the men? I desperately ask again.

I myself grew up with not much direction from my father in what a 'real man' is, but I grew up like most boys playing with (toy) guns even though my parents didn't quite agree. My parents thought it was too destructive and harmful to my mind to play with guns and have play fights growing up, but that is what boys and men long to do. Adventure is the word we are after and what the majority of this book is about the lost adventures of the heart. Eldredge goes on to talk about how in the beginning Adam was formed outside the garden and time and time again biblical men are found wandering the wilderness to try and find themselves. Also it was Eve that was formed in the garden which was plentiful and easy to live in and nothing like the wild where Adam was formed.

As I rap this blog up until next time I want to briefly discuss one of my favorite headers in this first chapter and it is called "A BEAUTY TO RESCUE". Eldredge talks about how men long to literally and figuratively rescue the damsel in distress and how women long to be that damsel. The women want to be pursued or they become bored and deep inside would much rather want to be with the dangerous man than a safe man... That is just something to think about if you are dealing with such times in your life where you are that safe man, all I can say is get out and explore your heart and you may find that your heart has fallen victim to the constraints of society like many other men.