Stop Running!

My trusty German Shepherd and I were about two-thirds of the way through our morning jog yesterday when a small white flash of hair came running around the corner and ran past us.  The owner came into view seconds later and seemed to be in hot pursuit.  

"Catch that white dog!" she exclaimed and the chase was on.  I took off at top speed and my jogging partner, who is always up for a high speed adventure, jumped out ahead.  Even though he had no idea what we were doing or where we were going he strained forward pulling me all the way.  

Down one street and up another we chased that white fur ball for a quarter mile.  However, when an alert groundskeeper at our neighborhood school was unable to get his hand on the little mutt I decided I had had enough.  Shortly thereafter the owner caught up with us, thanked me for trying and continued on.  

Within just a few moments the same little white dog had made a circle around the neighborhood and was now running towards us in front of the school from where she had approached it the first time.  This time however, there were several people and a couple of cars trying to box her in.  

"Now I have you trapped," I thought to myself and I jogged toward the oncoming canine in hopes that she would stop.  No luck.  She darted into the street and I took off after her.  She barely eluded my outstretch arms but my secret weapon was with me.  With his shepherding instincts now kicked into high gear my own pup lunged past my extended hands and pushed the pooch to the side with his big snout.  She stumbled off to the right but her momentum took her beyond where my leash would allow my dog to chase her and she scurried off into the far reaches of the neighborhood.  Later someone spotted her heading off into a sparsely wooded area not far from the subdivision but they too were unsuccessful in calling her home. 

Now this story reminds me a lot of the relationship many of us have with God.  We run furiously away from Him as though the home He has for us were a terrible place.  He comes looking for us be we run all the more.  Later He sends out trying circumstances to nudge us back to where we need to be but we run faster still.  Finally as we cower in the middle of the wilderness panting and out of breath we realize that what we thought was freedom is simply a lonely and inhospitable place that offers plenty of danger and nothing for shelter.

So let me ask you, are you running from God?  Do you live in fear of a loving God that wants to bring you home?  Do you curse the trying experiences that are meant to nudge you back to Him?  Worse yet are you in the wilderness wondering what you are doing there?  It's time to come home.  God will love you and accept you just as you are.  He is out there looking for you, calling for you to come home.  Friend, God loves you (John 3:16).  He wants nothing more than to see you come home. 

By the way, my neighbor told me this morning that she went back to the school a few hours later with their other dog.  When she got there she called and called.  To her amazement her little white fur ball came running back.  She was a bit frazzled and her hair a bit dirty but she was home.  And her owner took her in, no questions asked.