The Pursuit

“You do not need to see far ahead. Just one step at a time with Me.” God Calling, A.J. Russell

My heart isn’t always prepared to see what God brings my way. In fact, I believe I would probably run the other way if He allowed me to see in advance what each day held.

The Buddhist that came to find clothes for himself, his girlfriend and their baby? I would have argued with God, “I don’t know WHAT to say! No, I can’t do that God!” 

But there they stood before me and I had a decision to make.

God’s relentless voice, “They are lost, and have no hope of heaven if you DON’T tell them. Invite them to church and offer a Bible. It’s a start for someone who will cling tight to their false faith. I am pursuing them.”

I AM… pursuing them, pursuing us.

I offer it and he takes it, “Sure, I can practice English. I can use it to learn.”

Oh, yes sir. You sure can.

I stop and I stare for a minute. I am in awe that my Father’s love is so far reaching and never stops. Ever. Past cultures, languages and beliefs He is there. Always reaching. Never stopping.

My futile mind can’t comprehend how broken a handsome, tall boy must be when he’s confused about what to wear. Whether it should be something for a boy… or something for a girl?

I give him a Bible and I write 2 scriptures in the front of it for him to look up later. I tell him that while he was standing near me, I’d prayed for him.

I wasn’t prepared for the hunger of knowing what I had written, but he immediately sat down and began to DIG through that Bible until he found, “I know the plans I have for you….” Jeremiah 29:11. He smiled at me.

God’s pursuit.

There’s more grace, far more reaching grace in this world than any of us dare to be aware of. His gentle, but strong heart is relentless and He continues to patiently wait for our blinders to be peeled away so that we might fully see that grace.

He puts people in our paths, and allows situations that we’d never seek out for ourselves, to help us see that He is relentless and reckless in His astounding pursuit of our very lives.

It’s undeserved. It’s unmerited and it’s unfounded this grace.

It is through lies to ourselves and others…

It is through our forsaking of the One who gives us air, water, breath and heart beats…

It is through our pursuits of other gods… other things… other ideas that we think are so much better than One that can see all, know all, hold all things together.

It is through arguments and violence and brokenness and pain…

that this grace permeates.

She was the last shopper of the day. She’d waited patiently for me to finish with others so that I could remove the hangers from the items she’d chosen and put them in her bag. She was quiet, but smiling.. until I asked if she needed a Bible.

“My girls go to church with their grandma each Sunday, but I could use a Bible, “she said.

I looked her dead in the eyes. “Well, how about if I give you a Bible and YOU bring them to church with you?”

The tears started. I knew she knew. God was pursuing her.

She took the Bible and the tears would not stop. I held her hand and prayed for strength, hope and His presence to be very real in her life.

His pursuit is too strong and too much to deny.

And His grace… is simply amazing.