2008-03-04 - Always Chasing

OK here's a cool thought... God is chasing you since before time began he has wanted you - DESPERATELY! God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us. (Ephesians 1:4 NIV)

Think about in Adam's day. He walked with man because he wanted too then Adam and Eve screwed it up for all of us. But he still wanted us. He didn't give up - he kept chasing you and me.

He called out Israel as his people so the world could find him through a people. Like Adam they screwed up. The betrayed him and turned away from him. They didn't exactly show the world who God was; it was more like the world showed them who the devil was. So he tried another plan. He sent his Son - his one and only son - to heal our sick, teach us about God, and to just love on us. What did we do? We laughed at him, beat him, and ultimately killed him.

Now the world is 2 and God is like 0 if you're keeping score. We turned his people against him and killed his son. But, he still kept on loving us. He gave us the church. Now the church looks a lot like the world and it seems like World 3 - God 0. I'd give up and go home on getting through thick skulls like ours if it were me at this pint but he still won't give up. You see God knew all this would happen before it happened. He knew Adam and Eve would sin. He knew Israel would betray him. He knew we'd kill his son. He even knew the church would grow cold and ineffective. Even though we're still in that church time. He's told us his next few plans.

Next plan - take the church and the Spirit away. Life will kind of become hell on earth. Then maybe we will notice him and turn once we see what life without him is. But for many that still won't be enough so he will come and reign so there will be Heaven on earth for like 1000 years. And still some wont come.

At that point God calls it quits and it will only be him and those who have chosen him as he pursued us through time. But think about. God pursues from the beginning of time to the very end of time. When one plan after another to show his love and get our attention fails as he knew it would - he keeps on pursuing us. He is slow and patient with us. He loves us.

Will we ever get it and turn to him?

2 Peter 3:9-12 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. ¹¹ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹² Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

IHFHBOH
Adam

adam@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All scripture references from KJV unless otherwise noted