God Pursues

I’ve heard the same story in different settings, different forms, and different situations, but all very similar. Someone runs from God and while they are running, they run right into Him. Why? Because God pursues.  

We all love a great pursuit story, be it a car chase, a rom-com where someone pursues someone else when it’s almost too late for the relationship to work out, or chasing a dream. But ultimately, it is God who is the ultimate pursuer. The One who chases us down.  

Pursuit implies value and worth. 

Each one of us wants to be wanted, to be known, to be important to someone, and to be delighted in. God perfectly pursues each one of us in different ways at different times. He pursues us through His people. He pursues us according to our personality and interests. God pursues us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, through His creation, through Biblical community, and through His word.  

But the main way God pursues us is through His perfect love. You are valuable to God because you exist. He is the reason you exist at all. God doesn’t pursue me because of what He knows about me, but in spite of what He knows about me.  

“As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’”
Romans 3:10-12 (NIV)

Why does God pursue us? God pursues us because we tend to turn our back on Him and run to go our own way.

Ultimately, God pursues us with His extravagant love.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.”       1 John 3:1 (NIV)

God’s love is perfect. It doesn’t depend on His mood or whether I measured up that day.  I am valuable to God just because I exist. And again, He is the reason I exist at all.

God loves me no matter what, with an amazing, unconditional love. According to Psalm 139, I can’t escape His pursuit.

“I can never escape from Your Spirit! I can never get away from Your presence! If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the grave, You are there.”  Psalm 139:7-8 (NLT)

“How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!” Psalm 139:17-18 (NLT)

What is our response to God’s pursuit?  

Do I spend time with Him getting to know Him as He knows me? Where would I be today without God’s pursuit in my life? Am I aware of His pursuit of me?  

In describing his own response to God’s pursuit, C. S. Lewis said it this way: “It was as if God was saying to me: Put down your gun, and let’s talk.” 

People will respond in all sorts of ways to God’s pursuing love. What will be your response?