Persistence of God

"The LORD, the God of their fathers,

sent persistently to them by his messengers,

because he had compassion on his people

and on his dwelling place."

2 Chronicles 36:15

He was out in the wilds, wandering around vulnerable and scared.  Not knowing what to do, he kept walking, stumbling along the rocky ground.  Unbeknownst to him, danger lurked around the corner.  The little sheep was about to wander off the edge of a cliff.  Then he heard a voice calling his name.  This is not just any voice, however.  It was the beloved sound of his shepherd who cared enough to search him out.  Even though this man possesses dozens of other sheep and could afford to let one go, he doesn't.  He seeks the one out, combing the rough terrain until the lost is found (Luke 15:3-7, John 10:11-15).

This is the heart of God.  Why does He go after me so persistently, never giving up on my hardened heart and wayward ways?  Because He is the good Shepherd.  I often don't even give Him a shred of hope that I will change.  Still, He never stops pursuing me.

Word.  I couldn't believe my ears.  The words pierced my soul as if the voice floating over the radio waves was speaking directly to me.  The message I needed to hear was delivered straight to my heart.  While the lesson wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear, it was necessary to my forward progress.  God knows how to get a message through to His own.

Whether it is a passage of scripture displayed on a roadside sign, a word spoken in passing by a coworker, or a devotional left in a public waiting room, God knows how to use the written and spoken word to get through to me.  The only question is whether or not I will heed the warning, respond to the wake-up call, or pay attention to the advice.  

God will never stop pursuing me through the written and spoken word delivered by those who follow Him.

Deed.  She wasn't used to people caring enough to give without expecting anything in return.  The kind and generous act took her by surprise, reducing the usually hardened and composed woman into a pile of tearful thanks.  The gift of money was just what was needed to demonstrate God's love to my friend in a powerfully tangible way.

Sometimes a kind word in a cold and harsh world, a gesture of thoughtful consideration as the battle for the survival of the fittest carries on around me, or an act of compassion in the midst of indifference delivers a message of God's love more powerfully than the most eloquent sermon (1 John 3:18).

God will never stop pursuing me through the actions of those who follow Him.

Signs.  It was one of the most powerful messages I had ever received.   I was not sitting in a church listening to a sermon, or bent over God's Word in my favorite chair, or lying on a counselor's couch.  The pivotal message was delivered when I was performing the mundane chore of watering the ferns on my front porch.

As I directed the hose toward the second hanging basket, I was deep in thought and forgot about the baby finches housed there.  Instead of carefully circumventing their nest, I blasted the water directly into their home, washing one out onto the ground.  Panicked, I quickly lowered the plant down to the flowerbed where I could return the baby to the nest.  In so doing, God spoke to my heart, showing me of His compassion and care that flowed through me.  You see, due to some circumstances of my life, I had been plagued with the idea that I was cold-hearted and uncaring, not able to nurture or show compassion to another.  Through this simple interaction with God's creation, He delivered a message I needed to hear.

God will never stop pursuing me through the glory of His creation (Psalm 19:1-6).

My Father is a God who never gives up on me.  His creative use of the written and spoken word, loving deeds, and signs found throughout His creation all work to deliver messages I desperately need.  God never gives up on me and relentlessly pursues me in whatever means are necessary.  The persistence of God is astounding!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will pay attention to the creative ways God pursues me.

When have I heard a message at just the right time?  How does this powerfully demonstrate God's great love for me?

How am I missing out on God's pursuit of me because I'm not paying attention to the messages He is sending?