Mercy

"Ah, stubborn children," declares the Lord, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;"

"For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, "In returning (repentence) and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength."  But you were unwilling, and you said "NO! We will flee upon horses"; therefore you shall flee away ;"

"Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exults himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him."

Isaiah 30:1, 15, 16, 18

It is an unfathomable thing sometimes to realize that the Lord still pursues me when I literally run from him.  When I sin, it is my first response to run from him and HIDE.  Just like Adam and Eve in the beginning of this earth.  They hid and feared what God would do to them when they would encounter Him.  They had no reason to believe that God was out to get them.  But that's what sin does.  It puts fear in us.  We should have a little fear, but that should be fear of the Lord because of His holiness.  We should

 fear Him in  a way that is in reverence.  Not a fear that He would hurt us like humans do. Humans intentionally hurt us sometimes because their motives and intentions of the heart are evil.  God's intentions are always to LOVE. 

But it is just amazing to me that God sought them out after they did exactly what he warned them not to do!!  He didn't just seek them out, but He showed them grace by not allowing them to live in that sin for the rest of their lives.  He didn't have to allow Eve to have children. He didn't even have to let Adam be able to work for his food!  After they realized they were naked, he didn't embarrass them and make them experience shame.  He clothed them.  :)

God pursues us especially in our most shameful, rebellious times.  That is the kind of God HE IS.  He is just as equally merciful and kind and loving as HE is wrathful and angry.  Kinda hard to understand, but it is true.  I am learning that that is true because of the MANY ways He has pursued me like that in my past.  Wow.  Do I have many. I can trust Him because of how He has never stopped pursuing me.  I cannot think of a time where He didn't.  

I've started thinking about these aspects through reading "Caught off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God" by William P. Smith.   

I am just so thankful for my family...Can't help but put a picture in this entry.