I have read about Asahel before and I had always identified with him because he was fast. I loved track and I imagine that Asahel would have too. But when God guided me to identify with the death of Asahel I was, needless to say, quite confused.

“Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” ?      “It is,” he answered.
Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.”

2 Samuel 18-23

Here are some facts about Asahel:

His name means, “Made by God”

He was fast!

He was determined!

He was doing what he was created to do!

He was the nephew of King David!

He was one of David’s 30 men of Valor!

He died!

People took notice!

Will you be Asahel? Will you pursue God? Do you want to become all that He created you to be? If so, don’t turn to the right or to the left but run as hard as you can after God. To do so is to forfeit your life. To do so is to allow God to remove from you those things that are a hinderance to your destiny.

We can no longer afford to hold back. We can no longer afford to make a game of our relationship with Christ. We must pursue God with all of the talents He has given us. We must pursue Him holding nothing back and not allowing anything to hinder our pursuit. Although we will lose our life in the process, the life we gain will be our own, the one that we were created to live. When you do so you live your most heroic life. People will stop and take notice. They will wonder why you shine so brilliantly.

Oh, and if you’re still worried about the whole losing your life thing…didn’t Jesus already do the same for you?