I’ve never had so much trouble getting to the computer to get my thoughts down! Time has just been very elusive. But I’ve snuck (if that’s a word) into my room for just a moment to get this thought that has been in my heart for over a week onto paper. If we’re quiet, maybe they won’t all know I’m in here and I’ll actually get it all posted!
I was recently reading an article about husbands and wives needing to continually pursue one another to build their relationship. It immediately made me think of that awkward time in high school where a girl continually pursues a boy even though he’s not interested and everyone knows it. And you sort of feel for her, while you watch him awkwardly keep his distance. Or the boy who likes a girl, and keeps trying to talk to her, but she gives him the blatant cold shoulder. Pursuit. It’s a funny way to describe the beginning of a relationship really. We like to think of relationships as these budding, simultaneously blooming, gush of romantic feelings. But pursuit is a whole other ballgame. It sounds serious and intense, not flowery or mushy.
I think we like the idea of the mushy relationship, it sounds sweet and loving. But pursuit is different, it is passionate and strong. What kind of relationships do you have and how did they start? There is one relationship that is the epitome of “pursuit”, in my book. In fact, I believe with all my heart that God is in hot pursuit each of us individually and He is more serious about it than the nerdiest high school student ever could be! How does the nerdy guy win the girl? Picture him drawing attention to himself so the girl will notice. Picture him giving great gifts to win her heart and think of him balling up his fists to fend off other suitors because he wants the girl to be his own and will stand for nothing less. He wants her full attention and wants to win her heart!
My God is just like that!!! If you don’t think that God pursues, listen to how He is referred to in 2 Samuel 7:22-24. “This is why You are great, Lord God. There is no one like You, and there is no God besides You as all we have heard confirms. And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for Himself, to make a name for Himself and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before Your people You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt. You established Your people Israel to be Your own people forever, and You, Lord, have become their God.” That sounds like pursuit to me! That sounds like a guy who seriously shows how mighty he is, who seriously does great things for those He wants a relationship with. And someone who does not want to share, who wants to be the ONLY one you have a relationship with.
I believe with all my heart God pursues people. Just a few weeks back, I received word that a man was in hospital a couple hours from our MI home. His family were dear friends from our TN home. They were asking for someone to please share with this man God’s love and grace and mercy since he was so ill. I felt desperate in my heart for him. And yet, even though I was initially excited that we could be the ones to share, I knew in short order it wasn’t supposed to be me. A snow storm came that weekend and I made call after call to churches that were local, to no avail. No one would return my call. I left Facebook messages and email messages for pastors and churches in that area, and again, no response. This man was supposed to know Jesus. I knew that. I was getting tremendously frustrated, almost mad. How could the situation have presented itself, and how could no one get to this man? And then, I had peace. A weird peace. Peace knowing that God wanted this man to himself, and that somehow it was going to happen, but that I might not be instrumental in getting the word to him. And then the email came. Our own pastor offered to make the trek downriver to bring him the truth of Christ’s love for him. From our trip to TN, to the people we met, to our trip back to MI, to anyone who could, to the one who would, the truth of Christ’s love was presented to the man who would die only a few days later. And he chose to give himself to the God that had pursued him over the course of many people and 700 miles. Don’t tell me God doesn’t pursue people. God pursued that man, and He will continue to pursue men till the end of the age! What’s your part in it? Do you aid in the pursuit? I hope you do! I can tell you with utter disappointment the number of churches and people I contacted who did not aid in the pursuit of that man for the cause of Christ. And I can tell you with complete joy those who did. God is in hot pursuit, today and always. You can either make way, assisting wherever God leads, or you can get out of the way and let someone else. You’re responsible for whichever action you choose.
My God pursues you for the first time…and He pursues you for ALL time. Like the marriage in the article, and the nerdy high school boy, He continually woos and pursues, constantly showing His jealous love for us. And like the pretty high school girl, we have a choice to either turn our back in disgust, or to yield to the love of God that surpasses all understanding. Praying today that we’re yielding to the pursuit!
Kristan Russell 