Craig Clouston

Relentless Pursuit

No one comes to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
John 6:44

With a smile of satisfaction, the hunter listened as the beagle made his turn, bringing the rabbit back around for the second time. With a chuckle, he thought back several years to when he’d begun training the pup to track.
Chief had been relentless in his pursuit of rabbits, but he unknowingly steered them in a straight line, away from the hunter. Being wise, the hunter had used a more seasoned dog to train the youngster, allowing the more mature female, named Brownie, to teach the passionate young male that being good on the trail wasn’t the only goal in his pursuit. He must learn to guide the rabbit in the preferred direction by making a wider circle than the rabbit, resulting in the rabbit turning back toward the hunter. In essence, the rabbit was given his own free will while being pursued. It was up to the dog to guide that free will.

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Like the young beagle, we sometimes strike out on the wrong track in life, seeking freedom and unattained goals. Without guidance, these efforts can lead us into misery and bondage. But God, in His wisdom, circles a little wider, pursuing us, yet allowing our free will to remain intact. He leaves the twists and turns up to us, all the while speaking to us through circumstances, others around us, and directly to our spirit. He whispers about the freedom that is available through His Son, Jesus. His goal is for us to accept His sacrifice, repent of our sin, turning in the right direction by submitting our free will in trade for true freedom.
His pursuit is relentless. He will never leave us nor forsake us. But the choices are ours. And unlike the rabbit, when we turn back to Him, we choose life.

Prayer

“Father God, I sense Your pursuit. Thank You that You never leave me totally alone. When I get off track, please bring me back around where it’s safe. Draw me closer to Jesus. Help me understand that there is true freedom in Christ. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”