|
|
Location: Blogs Steve Johnson's Blog |
 |
| Posted by: Steve Johnson |
Saturday, August 26, 2006 |
Brennan Manning’s publisher was driving on the interstate a few hundred yards behind a Lincoln Town Car. Traveling full speed, the rear door opened, and a collie was thrown out of the car. The dog hit the pavement full force and rolled into the ditch. Cut, bruised, and bleeding, the faithful dog climbed out of the ditch and began running as fast as his broken body would allow, trying to catch up to his owner who had just thrown him away with such heartlessness cruelty.
How often do we cast God off and speed away?
Yet, every time we do, our faithful God runs after us trying to catch up with us, assuring us of His love.
Even when “we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.” (II Timothy 2:13)
Nothing we do will ever cause our faithful God to cease pursuing us. To do so, He would “disown Himself” (NIV).
I can hardly imagine such relentless love: a God who runs us down in order to love, bless, and care for us. But such is the God Jesus “explained” (John 1:18) to us. |
|
| Permalink |
Trackback |
Comments (7)
Add Comment
|
Re: God Dogs My Every Step |
By Tara Matheney on
Saturday, August 26, 2006 |
WOW!!! I definitely needed that today, Steve...OUR Father, who runs us down. There are days that I need to just STOP all the false guilt, the anxiety and the pressure that I pour on myself as a wife and mother of 2 teens (one with Anorexia) and allow God to catch up with me!
What an awesome revelation for us today as we battle so much some days. Steve, we love you and we pray for you daily! Your ministry of GRACE is so HYDRATING to our souls in this desert of life.
The Matheney's |
|
|
Re: God Dogs My Every Step |
By proud to be your cousin, Janet on
Friday, September 01, 2006 |
Steve, This is awesome!! It is so timely b/c my new favorite song is called "Relentless Love" by Christian City Church, Ryde, Australia. Check that beautiful song at their website; here are the words:
“Relentless Love”
I called on Your name and You saved me.
Your precious blood has redeemed me.
My heart it sings Hallelujah.
Into Your presence I enter.
You never stopped pursuing me
Pearl of great price, you’ve set me free
(You set me free, Lord)
Chorus:
I will praise Your holy name, Almighty God
Nothing compares to the wonders of Your relentless love.
Written by Richard McLeod, 2004
www.cccryde.com.au
|
|
|
Re: God Dogs My Every Step |
By Steve Johnson on
Friday, September 01, 2006 |
Thanks, Janet for giving the words of this song and adding them to this site.
"Nothing compares to the wonders of Your relentless love."
Indeed!
Others will read them and be encouraged.
|
|
|
Re: God Dogs My Every Step |
By Steve Johnson on
Friday, September 01, 2006 |
Tara, I have gone back again and again to your comment: "Your ministry of Grace is so hydrating to our souls in this desert of life."
What an affirmation!
You don't know how that has encouraged me.
Thanks |
|
|
Re: God Dogs My Every Step |
By Ron Henning on
Thursday, January 18, 2007 |
| Bro. Steve, what an awesome illustration. How heartbreaking it is to realize that I have done just that--tossed Him away. He is so faithful to continue to persue and minister to me and my family. Thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do to minister to our needs. |
|
|
Re: God Dogs My Every Step |
By Steve Johnson on
Thursday, January 18, 2007 |
Thank, Dr. Henning!
I am convinced from Scripture that God's grace is far more amazing, radical, outlandish, and atrocious than we can imagine. The church trifles about with rules, laws, and coercive methods (personal, ecclesiastical and govenmental) trying to force people to do what it claims is right. Jesus just loved, forgave, accepted people embodying the mercy and grace of God, and in so doing transformed the world (and in time behavior) one heart at a time.
The church today (as in any day) should simply seek to embody the sacrificial love of Christ. That, too, would change our world, one heart at a time. But before the world can be changed by the church, the church must be changed, doing things God's way---the way of sacrificial love---rather than the world's way---demanding and coercive. As in all things, Jesus is the example---the way of love
|
|
|
Re: God Dogs My Every Step |
By Rob Ballard on
Monday, April 09, 2007 |
| Steve, What a powerful illustration of God's pursuit of us. It's amazing how fundamental and instinctive his relentless pursuit of us is as we are so undeserving. I'm so thankful for the impact the message of Grace has had on my families' life. |
|
|
|
|