In Hot Pursuit Series

In Hot Pursuit

September 24, 2006

Luke 15:1-24

Experiencing God #2

Deb and my oldest son Luke is in Kindergarten this year. So far he has made it through 2 weeks of school just fine and his parents are trying to do the same.

This week Kindergartners were allowed to start riding the bus to school and home from school. So each day this week Luke did just that, he rode the bus either to school or home from school. Perhaps by next week his parents will let him ride both ways. As I said, his parents are doing their best to adjust to their 1st born entering this next chapter of his life.

Tuesday was Luke’s first ride home from school on the bus. Deb waited in our yard for the bus to come by and when it did she tried to capture the moment of with our camera, but it didn’t work. She felt terrible. I too learned to feel terrible, but by the next day, the camera was fixed so she and Ben waited in our yard for the bus to capture the moment.

Only this time, the bus drove right past our house finally stopping 100 yards down the road, only after Luke yelled out to stop and to let him go home.

When I got home from work that evening, this was the main topic of our dinner conversation. The bus driver, driving past our house. The bus driver forgetting that Luke was on the bus. Or more truthfully, still learning where each child on her route lived. When I asked Deb what she did when she realized the bus wasn’t stopping.

The bus our Luke was riding.

The bus who was holding captive our son.

She said something like, "I ran after that bus and if it hadn’t stopped, I would have tracked it down."

And you know what, I believed her and I still do.

Bus drivers beware! Don’t get between a Mommy and her child. For not only Moms but Dads too will chase you in hot pursuit if you’ve got their child.

We are a peculiar people aren’t we. If we feel passionate about someone or something.

If we want someone, like a certain

-guy or a girl

-our child off the bus

or if we want something like

-a grade in school

-a car

-a house

-recognition

-a promotion

-a trophy

-or to watch a certain TV program or sporting event

we have this switch in us that turns us into a different creature.

Don’t stand in my way!

Look out!

I’m coming through! I’ll chase that bus down!

This week, I called Sarah Martin before she left for her freshmen year at the University of Washington. In our conversation, she mentioned being excited to row on WWU’s Crew Team, a high honor. When I asked about practices, she said there is an early morning one and an afternoon one. To make the team, she’ll have to let nothing get in the way of those practice times.

This week, I talked to a man who talked about going elk hunting in October in Washington. He is in pursuit of an elk, his first one. Though temperatures could be near freezing at night. Though there could be snow, he’s excited looking forward to getting his first elk. He is in hot pursuit. No temperature and no white stuff will stand in his way.

These stories and simple illustrations point to the fact that if we want something bad enough:

-a son off of a school bus

-to make an athletic team

-to get a trophy elk

we will sacrifice

rearrange our schedule

or do whatever is necessary to make it happen.

Yes?

This is a reality in my life.

It is a reality in your life.

And hear this, it is a reality for our God as well.

Our God desires to have a relationship with you and will not let anything stand in his way.

The second reality as we go through this teaching called Experiencing God is printed on the back of your bulletin.

Last week we explained the first reality - God is always at work around us.

And today we will look at the 2nd reality. Would you read it with me?

"God pursues a continuing love relationship with me that is real and personal."

We have a God who pursues us.

We have a God who is seeking us.

We have a God who is after us.

I know what some of you are thinking.

-"I know this and that’s not good news for me."

-"I know he’s after me and if he ever catches me, I’m done for."

In conversations with those in our community, it has been my experience that people know God is pursuing. They believe He is trying to pursue them. They believe that God desires to know them and them Him. But