PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 15, 2012

n the prologue, Ken Gire makes a statement that speaks clearly to all of us. It is also the theme of the book, Relentless Pursuit: “This book is about the heart of God and the lengths to which his heart goes to find ours, to bundle it up in his arms and to carry it home. It is written from the perspective of the lost sheep. As such, it’s not a book for the ninety-nine who are safe as much as for the one who is not.”

At some time in our lives, we have all been an outsiders, lost sheep. For whatever reason, we have wandered away, been pushed out, or pushed to the side. We are bruised, lonely, and sad. We are in need of a tender Shepherd who will take us back into the fold.

Ken Gire begins with a reflection on Frances Thompson. Thompson lived in England during the 1800’s and wrote a poem entitled, “The Hound of Heaven.” Thompson had become addicted to opium and his life was one of despair; it was from the emotional trench of despair that a beautiful and heart-rending analogy in poem was written. Thompson’s poem is a reflection of humanity’s condition of the heart, and of God’s pursuit of us.

Ken Gire shares from his life often. He states he has an ultra-sensitive nature, that life events affect him more than most people. Much of the book is looking back over his life, similar to a testimony, and coming to terms with his past. He uses Scripture to validate his points; for example, he speaks on the parables of the Lost Sheep and The Lost Son, both from Luke chapter fifteen.

Relentless Pursuit is well-organized, easy to understand, and easily identifiable. There are questions included at the end of each chapter. The questions are meant to help us work through the content that was taught in the proceeding chapters.

After reading this book I believe there are two strong messages. The first message is that God does not give up in His pursuit of us. He continues working in our lives, even behind the scenes, in areas where we may not even be aware. God works in our disappointment, sadness, trials, and times of crisis. We notice the blessings in our lives that are positive and attribute them to God. Yet God is working in our lives during the dark times, those life events that seem like an abyss of sorrow.

Second, God’s love for us is the greatest love story of all. The book’s theme is God’s pursuit for us; God pursues us because he loves us. No matter that we may have stumbled and fallen into a miry muddy pit, God loves us.

The only negative thought I have on this book is it was a bit heavy on the author life. It seemed as if the author was writing a memoir.