A.W Tozer

I've been reading a biography: "A.W. Tozer: In Pursuit of God" by James L. Snyder.


I first discovered about this man when I stumbled over some of his sermons at SermonAudio.com. His preaching caught me in a way I'd never experienced before. Even decades after his death, the presence of God was palpable: I was convicted, humbled, moved to seek God more. I had tears running down my face while I was driving, and all I wanted to do was stop of the side of the road and get on my knees. I wanted that anointing. 


As I read about his life, I am challenged to 1) seek God with greater earnestness, 2) be more disciplined, 3) seek to always improve myself.


I haven't heard of another Christian who sought to improve himself  as a writer quite the way he did; he was what I call a 'wordsmith' and loved beautiful prose. That resonates with me; I love words too. My lovely Year 7 English teacher taught me to 'edit edit edit' and I do but I haven't reached the drive for perfection that he had. In fact, I've even let up a bit on this so that I can write fluidly without being so conscious of the mechanics of construction. There's always a balance to find isn't there?


On the other hand, Tozer was a perfectionist and labored over his writing. He was known for his pithy quotes, quick wit, and concise yet approachable language. He read widely and voraciously. This, to me, is a contrast to one other turn-of-the-century Christian dynamo of his day -- Smith Wigglesworth, who, if I remember correctly, did not read anything other than the Bible. 


Wigglesworth challenges me too: fire, passion, an intense focus on the Lord's will; his tenacious faith; a willing courageous obedience that sought only to please his God; anointing to do great miracles. I'll always remember the anecdotes of him standing up in a bus to preach, and the drenching of Holy Spirit manifestation that followed; the time he woke up (reportedly) to a visit from Satan and said, 'Oh, it's only you' (!). Wigglesworth was one of the first to set me in pursuit of a God who was inviting intimacy and the discovery of the significance He had planned for my life. Tozer inspires me a bit differently. 


He preached forcefully and with great intellect. He was a thinker. His messages are saturated in the presence and anointing of God. Tozer devoured classical literature and the devotional books of Christian mystics. He would deliberately travel away from the city to worship and spend time in solitude with His God.


Tozer is famous for the book that defined his heart: "The Pursuit of God". I'm finding free pdf versions online but own a book of my own that a close friend bought for me. It makes me remember the days I would cry with longing, "Show me your glory" and find myself moving in that direction again.


I praise God for the champions that have gone before us. What God has done in one life may be unique but He is the same God who also invites us to a life of intimacy, power and significance with our King. May we, including myself, not just sigh with longing but pay the price to take up the baton and run diligently without a backward glance. 


May the Lord, by His grace, help us move beyond ourselves to the place where the price no longer matters, and the deceitful flattery of the world is scorned because of the greatness of our heavenly reward.