Coming After Us

     I am a beach girl at heart, and a few weeks ago, we were blessed to enjoy a week along the breathtaking beaches of Florida's gulf coast. Vacation gives you some extra thinking time, which I love, and time, in general, to slow down, connect, and relax. While wading through the beautiful crystal waters of Panama City Beach (highly recommended beach to put on your bucket list), I was talking to my daughter and my niece about the pursuit of God. All of us had the enormous blessing of being raised in a family that taught us all about Him since our earliest memories, so we didn't have to look long and hard to find Him. But an amazing truth that stood out to me, is that even if I hadn't been raised this way, He would have pursued me- just like He pursues each one of us.
     One of the most precious promises I have personally witnessed Him keep, is that He pursues His wandering children. In times of my rebellion, He chased after me. And when my husband wandered away from Him, and into a relationship with another woman, He pursued him as well. As Christians, this promise gets us through those painful times of life, when we feel the sting of separation between us and God, or a loved one who is away from not only us- but God as well. We know that He is a God that pursues those who have fallen away, and need rescued, because we have witnessed it in our own lives.

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     All of us will, at some point, allow a separation between us and our Heavenly Father. Whether it is intentional or not, it happens. It can seem as harmless as being too busy to make Him our priority. It can result from allowing other plans to crowd out our call to "remember Him", neglecting to collectively gather in our places of worship. And it can even be as simple as allowing people we love, to take a place before Him. Alcohol, drugs, materialism, and sex can take His place. We allow so many things to replace Him. And yet- He will come after us, just as He promises (Deuteronomy 31:6).
     While I personally dislike the feeling of another person chasing me, His pursuit is a comfort. As a kid, I hated the feeling of one of my siblings chasing me down the stairs. Never did my feet move faster than having one of them chase me on that staircase. But when God chases us, it isn't to scare us, it's to rescue us. He is chasing me for my benefit, while my siblings chased me for their fun. It often stings, and feels painful as He convicts us to turn back to Him, but we know that in His presence there is peace and safety, and no reason for fear. 
     When we are caught by our Pursuer, we wonder why we ever left. There is nothing like the comfort found in the presence of our Father. As little children, we craved the presence of our earthly parents, and the security they offered us. God is the only perfect Parent, and in His presence, we don't only feel secure, we are secure. If you're a child of God, and you've wandered, know that He will pursue you.  My brother specifically prayed that God would relentlessly pursue my husband. We have power in praying the same for any we love that have strayed from the Father, and from us. Don't ever doubt His ability to pursue and restore. Just as scripture paints the picture of Him as our Shepherd, seeking the lost, He also seeks those who have lost their way. While we often want to do the pursuing ourselves, why not leave it to the Master? "Father, exercise our faith in You, by showing Your power in bringing the wanderers back to the fold!"

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! Psalm 139:7-8 ESV
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 ESV

Heavenly Father, we thank You for pursuing us, time and time again. Your faithfulness to us is humbling, and we are so thankful You never give up on us. For those we love who may be wandering, we pray Your convicting Spirit will lead them back. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen!




     

Chasing away the Darkness

     I'll let you guys in on a little secret about me- I am 48 years old, and I'm scared of the dark. Not the kind of scared where I hide under the covers, but I don't enjoy the darkness. In the dark of night, I hear the weirdest noises, and my imagination goes into overdrive. There is something unsettling about being in the dark, and not knowing what could be there. Even with my trusty Glock by my side, I still prefer the light of day. 
     Being separated from my husband created a new kind of darkness. Yes, I didn't like being alone in bed at night, but I'm talking about a darkness inside of me. My world was no longer bright, cheerful, and sunny. Instead, I felt gloomy, alone and vulnerable. Just as a dark night can hide a potential threat, the darkness in my marriage created an uncertainty that left me fearful and unsettled. 
     Truth be told, I would much rather sit in a spooky house overnight, by myself, than sit in the middle of a troubled marriage. While my fear is just imagined in a dark house, it's real in a marriage on the rocks. When I can't see what's ahead, I am called to faith, and when my faith is in the Solid Rock of Christ, I have no reason to fear. Darkness doesn't really have power over me when I recognize His ability to banish it, and spill His perfect light into all my unknowns. 
     I think one of the reasons we are uncomfortable with darkness is its ability to hide things from our sight. And yet, when it comes to our lives, we have no idea what tomorrow will hold for us. The future is not known, so we are called to something that gives us the assurance we need- faith! While my marriage was unclear, unsettling, and worrisome, I can rest in knowing my Heavenly Father will handle the stresses of tomorrow. When I can trust Him in the darkest places, my fear will transform into an unshakable faith. 
     In my marriage, I had to come to the place where I rested in His capable ability to handle it. It was terrifying to look ahead, not knowing which direction it would take. But when I saw His precious hand guiding me, calling me to trust Him and just let go, the darkness didn't stand a chance. Instead, I could hear His sweet voice reminding me of this wonderful truth- "Ruth, trust Me, and never forget,  I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12 ESV).

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 ESV
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14 ESV
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 ESV
For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. Psalm 18:28 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your light- it comforts me in the darkness, and chases away my fears. I know You are always with me. I have nothing to fear when my faith is grounded in You. Help me to remember this when my circumstances seem dark and uncertain. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!