LEARNING DAILY

 

Psalm 139:16-17, You saw me before I was born. Each day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered. (New Living Translation)

 

These verses are not telling us that we have no control over what we do, say, or think each day because God has already decided all that for us. No! We are not God’s robots or puppets where He directs everything in our lives. Instead, we need to realize that God has made each one of us, knowing us before we were born and knowing the exact moment of our conception. David Jeremiah states, “God is present with us through every phrase of our development from that moment on”. Today’s blog is about God’s love for each of us and His continual pursuit of us.

 

I am sure that there is a great amount to be written on this topic; therefore, I will attempt to take various verses related to God’s pursuit of us and those that speak to our pursuit of God in the coming days. My thoughts come from a few moments of sensing the great love of God and His involvement in my life. It is at these times that the enemy seems to come and do what He can to disrupt what God is doing.

 

Jesus spoke these words found in John 44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last days.” The Father draws people to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for draw means “to drag”; It is a one-sided process where the Holy Spirit draws all men (John 12:32) to the Father; the dragging is by God alone. This work of God is not irresistible as it can be rejected. Many have said no because of too many misunderstood thoughts about God and what it means to follow Him. The world and the riches and temptations found in it causes many to reject the drawing of the Holy Spirit. But God continues to pursue each person. Thank you, Father, that you do so. Man does not naturally come to God; I do not believe there is a desire to do so. I believe the statement of Jesus is a statement about the depravity and pride of each person. The heart of man can be so evil that man does not realize His need for a Savior. Jeremiah makes a statement about the heart being evil and understanding it being difficult (Jeremiah 17:9). It is only by a merciful and gracious father who continues to pursue us that anyone can be saved.

 

The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sinful condition, the self-centered and prideful condition of their lives, and their need for Jesus Christ to save and change them. Then something happens that causes a person to desire to hear about this salvation Jesus offers and their heart is open to what Jesus offers; he/she has a greater desire to hear truth that may have never been understood before. 2 Corinthians 2:14 speaks to the Natural man (unsaved) not being able to receive the things of the Holy Spirit because they are foolishness to him. The offer of salvation becomes more interesting and once he/she experiences salvation, that person begins to have new desires. God begins to change the heart so there is a great desire to know Him, obey Him, and walk on the narrow way into eternal life in His Kingdom. What an amazing God we serve!