God is hunting you every day

Many people are weary of the church, but surprisingly not of God.

Others feel as if they have lost connection with personal faith as though the spiritual wifi has crashed; they feel as if they are drifting aimlessly through the mists of doubt and tides of repetitive questions.

The church has become tiresome to them, like a vinyl record with the needle caught on an unwelcome scratch.

I remember my first ABBA album; a scratch rudely appeared on the song, ‘money, money, money must be funny, in the rich man’s world.’ ‘Rich man’s world’ repeating over and over until I knocked it. Maybe that is the problem; our repetitive rich western world needs a jolt. Faith is thriving in 80% of the world, but we seem to be stuck in the West.

Are you stuck? Or is that you have never considered the cosmic creator at all?

Theologians have often described the pursuit of God as like a hunter tracking down their game. I invited a group of hunters to explain what makes a great hunter. My Facebook question received numerous responses from passionate hunters eager to share their pearls of wisdom. Here’s an example of what I received.

It would be best if you had patience, the ability to sit still and quiet, understanding your environment.

Planning, one needs to prepare well. Perseverance, to keep going and stay focused.

Words like dedication, determination, ignore the elements, overlook chilly toes and shivers.

And finally, a committed spouse who lets you go hunting for days at a time!

It is true to say that many of these skills apply to spiritual growth. Particularly sitting still and having patience and perseverance. Often it is the preparation where we fail, to confess and forgive others, to hand over our internal dialogue and settle before God and His word. That is when we clear the jungle of the soul, to receive what Jesus boldly called the bread of life to feed our hunger.

Some say God’s pursuit is like a hunter tracking down their prey, an interesting angle, and I can see a connection. I like to think that the pursuit of God is like the time my children would chase me around the yard. Curly-haired toddlers giggling with excitement and anticipation as I dodged them. They did not doubt that I would turn around at one point in the game, look into their eyes, scoop them up, and give them the biggest hug. They knew that the whole point of the game was that I would turn and capture them.

Psalm 23:6 describes this truth, “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.”

May your heart find peace in knowing a God who pursues you daily.