“May my greatest pursuit always be of You, God.”
It’s been my prayer. Yet, not always my practice. It seems, I wander far from my pursuit blinded by my own ambitions, plans, and ideas before I’ve realized how off course I’ve become.
When the realization comes, when the light is shone bright on the darkness still found in a heart I thought free of sin, pliable, and surrendered, the grief becomes too much to bear. How could I return, when I’m the one who betrayed?
I hear shame loud, and shame says, “Hide.”
Louder still, Grace bids, “Come.”
I come and beg for the scales to be removed, “Let me see.”
And when my blind eyes are opened again, I see. I see He still walks with me. It’s true. Nothing can ever separate us from His love.
And even at that I’m reminded, my sin He bore, already. And forgiveness is only a breath away. His mercy is new. And then His love overwhelms me, as His blood washes over me.
I’ve heard it called the greatest injustice, a scandalous Gospel that dares to forgive an adulterer. A heart so easily wooed, allowing attractions to take her eyes off the Lover of her Soul. A heart so easily deceived into believing counterfeits of what is good could fulfill desire in a way only He could. A heart left unguarded where the thief comes to steal the affections of it, intended for Him, alone.
And He accepts her back over and over. Mercy, unending. Love, everlasting.
It’s His kindness that leads us to repentance. Because He knows we don’t know, we don’t see, we don’t understand what glorious prize we forfeit when we choose our own way, instead of His. We do not grasp, He is our prize. And we are also His.
Us, He is unwilling to forfeit.
“And my sacrifice, Lord?
I have no sacrifice.
Only heart-shattered brokenness and contriteness.
It’s all I have to offer now.”
And this heart, His mercy will not reject.
Washed clean again, I see clear. The greatest pursuit is not my own of Him, but His unabashed pursuit of me.
He is the Great Pursuer, and you and I — we are His greatest pursuit.
Quietly slipping in at LisaJo’s place.