I often have days where it seems like everything I touch hits the ground.

May I introduce exhibit A from the time I tried to take dip out of the refrigerator:

Unfortunately, there was one occasion, where I was the thing to hit the ground…

(Fortunately, there is no picture!)

On this particular day, I took the dog out for a walk. Like most times, I took my toddler along with me. It’s nice to walk around together and get a little Vitamin D. This time though, she took off running. I called out for her to stop, but she kept going. I started to slowly jog toward her so that I could try to catch her without making her think it was a game and run faster, but… that didn’t work (of course). My heart sank as she got closer to the road. I desperately called out for her, hoping she would hear the change in the tone of my voice and turn around or stop, but no – instead, she ran even faster. As I continued the chase, I fell face first. My hand let go of the leash and the dog took off. Now both my daughter and the dog were leaving me in the dust.

I quickly got back up and ran to keep her from getting too far. Thankfully, a neighbor had been outside and had come to help as well. He was able to catch the dog as I was finally scooping up my daughter.

Sometimes in life, as children of God, we may be like my daughter in the story. We may find ourselves running toward things that seem innocent. Meanwhile, God is calling out to us to stop and come back. It may seem harmless to us, like a slow neighborhood street, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe… especially if we keep running. God sees the potential dangers and what lies ahead…and like a good parent, He pursues us.

When I first started contemplating the idea of God pursuing us, I started to wonder if this was true. I originally thought the parable of the lost sheep pertained only to those who didn’t know Christ yet. I had this idea in my head that God pursues unto Salvation, and after that, the rest was up to us; however, we – the church – are the sheep:

 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

John 10:14 NKJV

Even as Christians, sometimes we do get off course. The good news is – God will pursue us. If we start to get lost or wonder off, He comes to find us. The parable tells us:

¹² “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? ¹³ And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 

Matthew 18:12-14

When God scoops us up, like I did with my daughter, there is love to be found! I know as a mom, no matter how many times by daughter might not listen, I will still love her. I may have to discipline her, but that comes from loving her. We are God’s children and just like with any child, we must be taught and be prepared. Hebrews tell us that “the Lord disciplines those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6). He has greater things in store for us; things that we might totally miss if we keep going our own way. We can count on God though; as a good Father, He will welcome us back with open arms. Forgiveness is always there, and He will still love us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 NKJV

Even if we start to get ‘closer to the road’ like my daughter in the story, He’s not going to abandon us. When Jonah tried to run away, God pursued him. Jonah thought that he could outrun God, but no matter how far we run, there is nowhere we can go that He cannot.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in ^[a]hell, behold, You are there.

Psalm 139-7-8

As we celebrate Christmas, it’s the perfect time to reflect upon how God truly does pursue us. He loves you and I so much, that He came to earth knowing the end of the plan from the very beginning. He loved us enough to humble Himself, put on flesh, and be like us. He pursued us, even unto death on a cross.

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:9-10

God loved us before we even loved Him (1 John 4:10). He will always love us enough to come after us. As He draws near, we can let Him scoop us up and save us or we can keep running. The choice is ours. Will we let God parent us or will we ignore Him calling out our name? We may even fall flat on our face (like I did). Will we give up and pout, or will we allow God to brush us off and love on us? We can keep running our way or, if we must run, may it instead be toward the arms of the One that loves us enough to pursue us.