For us busy, busy people, it’s easy to be so focused on what we’re doing that we miss a lot of what’s going on around us. You may have seen the unfortunate, but revealing, video of the lady texting in a mall and then falling into the fountain.
We’re often so busy we are not able to see the proverbial “forest for the trees”.
You may have known a man or woman who, for instance, had no idea they were being romantically pursued by another person. ‘Asleep at the wheel‘ we say.
In a similar way, we are often blind to the fact that God is pursuing us.
I’m completely convinced He puts people in our path to say things to us, He puts us in situations that cause us to think of Him, He gives us resources to be able to learn of Him, He nudges us in our conscience, He puts the stars in the sky as a way to remind of us of His ever-present “power and nature”.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. – Romans 1:20 (NIV, bold added)
The Bible makes it clear that God desires to rescue us and bring us back to Himself because He loves us. Of course, we have to accept the idea that we need to be rescued. As sinners who fall short of God’s bar of perfection, we surely need a savior.
In the Old Testament God asked a man named Hosea to go and find his wife (who had prostituted herself) and to take her back home as his wife.
What?
Pursue a dirty, scummy, rotten prostitute of a wife?….for what?
The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” Hosea 3:1 (NIV, bold added)
In this Bible story, you and I are the wife acting as a prostitute. Think about it…even today we put other loves ahead of God like money, comfort, football, work, our to-do list or social media.
Yet…God still pursues us and wants us for Himself.
Psalm 23:6 (MSG) says: “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life” or in the NIV “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
~~~~~
Prayer
God thank you for pursuing me because You love me. I realize I have put other gods before You. I am so thankful that You pursue me with vigor. Thank you for making Yourself known to me. God help me to see Your presence, give me the faith to respond to You and to Your great plans for me. Thank you for being available anywhere I turn. Help me to desire to know You and thank You for the promise of rewarding me when I seek You. In Christ’s name, Amen.
