(I finally got around to making an Instagram post for Love Pursues, and now I need to write a part-2 blog post because I have more thoughts. 😁)
I said that God’s love–really, God Himself–pursues us.
Imagine Almighty God of the universe, Warrior who can wipe out entire armies without lifting a finger, Master who is able to do whatsoever He wishes. . . running.
And it’s not running as in retreating. It’s not running as in frantically trying to catch up with us ’cause He doesn’t want to be left behind. It’s not running as in exercising. It’s not running as in trying to get to us in order to pound us into submission and make us go His way.
He runs after us because He wants to be with us, wants us to be with Him. He runs after us because He wants us to realize and accept His love. He runs after us because He wants us to choose that relationship with Him.
God is not a passive, loving-from-a-distance, simply-waiting-for-us-to-come-to-Him kind of God. He actively pursues and woos us.
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Psalm 23 is a peaceful psalm. Every time I read it, I slow down just a bit. Breathe. Soak in the peace of the very words, not to mention the message/thoughts. It speaks of a Shepherd, of lying down in green pastures, of being led by still waters, of restoration, of no fear, of God being with us, of comfort, of a table prepared for us, of anointment, of cups running over, of goodness and mercy following us, of dwelling in God’s house forever. There’s rest, peace, satisfaction, joy, surety.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” comes nearly at the end, after a whole lot of stillness.
As I mentioned in the first post, we need to be still. Then, as Lysa TerKeurst said, God’s pursuit of us will become clear. We will see that His goodness and mercy and love and grace are following us, running after us.
Since my fast-paced chase had gotten me into this mess, I knew it would take slow moments to get me out of it. I needed to reconnect with the One who knows how to breathe life and love back into depleted and dead places. Jesus doesn’t participate in the rat race. He’s into the slower rhythms of life, like abiding, delighting, and dwelling–all words that require us to trust Him with our place and our pace. Words used to describe us being with Him.
Lysa TerKeurst, Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely
Slow moments. Reconnect. Slower rhythms of life. Abiding. Delighting. Dwelling. Trust. Being with Him.
We can have a relationship with God even when it’s busy. We can see Him pursuing us even in the hectic craziness.
But it’s harder. When we’re busy doing things and going places, it’s not easy being. Breathing. Connecting. Spending time with.
We. need. to. rest. To be still and quiet and present and surrendered.
“Jesus doesn’t participate in the rat race.”
