Love… My sin nailed Him to that cross, yet I was met with love. I threw angry words in His face, I’ve run from him- spit on his grace and did things my way. I’ve ignored Him like a wayward child dancing on the line I was told not to cross until finally the ground I presumed as solid slips away like sand in the tide and I find myself lost in a world of pain and hurt. It might as well have been my hands that held the hammer posed above that nail ready to strike.
And yet His love meets me in this place, in the arid wasteland of my creating. It finds me in this broken place, in this fortress I have built around myself to hide away and wallow in my pain. And yet He finds me in this place- where no one else dares to venture. He comes swooping in and rescues me… Even when I was His foe, he rescued me. Though my sin nailed him to a cross, still His love chased after me. Still, he tore down the wall of carefully laid stones and lit up my dark prison.
Recklessly He meets me right where I am, knowing that I’m the one who pushed Him away, knowing I am the one who ran, knowing that I might do it again- still He comes. And meets me with love, He meets with grace, He meets me with forgiveness. He meets me. He comes running after me, waiting to pick me up and hold me close like a loving father. To whisper His goodness over my bruises and fill me with His overwhelming love.
Are you lost? Are you locked deep inside a fortress hiding from the world? Are you wandering through a wasteland as your life burns around you? He’s there, He’s waiting, He’ll never stop chasing you, never turn away and say you aren’t worth it. He will never stop fighting for you. You are his precious child, Matthew 18:12-13
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:12-14 NIV
He is El Roi the God sees you. The father who knows all of your pain. Jehovah-Raah the shepherd that will leave his 99 to seek you.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? if I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139: 7-12 NIV
He is El Elyon, The Most High God who sent his son to be your Jehovah Nissi – your banner, that He may become your Jehovah Mekoddishkem the God who sanctifies you.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Psalm 139:2-5 NIV
Thank you for your post. It is a great reminder of God's abundant, steadfast eternal love and how He relentlessly pursues us.
I love that scripture in the book of Matthew! Thanks for writing this article. God bless you.
This is so good! He loves us so much! He uses all things for good in our lives. I'm so thankful to be walking with Him despite all the things I've done. He knows our heart and directs our steps.
Lovely.