God the Pursuer

“Now the tax collectors and ‘sinners’ were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

Then Jesus told them this parable: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.’” (Luke 15:1-7 NIV)

The entire chapter of Luke 15 tells the story of God the Pursuer.  He is pursuing those who do not even realize they are lost (the sheep); He is pursuing those who have ended up lost and don’t know how to get back to where they belong (the coin); and He is pursuing those who have really blown it in their lives and are desperate to return to the One they so brazenly rejected (the lost son).  He is the Pursuer of the lost.

These parables flow from comments made about Jesus and whom He associated with.  The religious folks were appalled by the company He chose to keep.  Through these stories, Jesus paints a picture of a God who does not let go of people easily, who is not easily offended or put off by their attitude or lifestyle.  They are lost, but He is not willing to give up on them.  That is just His nature.  

How easy it is to form a different picture by looking at the religious folks. From them we see a God whose disappointment is so great that restoration in the relationship is impossible.  We see a God who is too focused on His obedient children to have any interest in going after those who have strayed.  And we see a God who is like a person who loses a penny—it’s just not worth looking for.  

This is not the God of the Scriptures.  Through Luke 15, Jesus wants to make this perfectly clear.  

If you are in any way lost, know that He is pursuing you.  He has not and will not give up.  It is just not in His nature to do so.

© Jim Musser 2013