Does God pursue us?

"What a question for Adam to have to answer! How it intimated that he was not where he had been wont to be! Why the difference? … Our first parents had rebelled — had sought by their own devices to hide their shame — and now were attempting to hide themselves from God. And yet He approaches — He speaks — not to accuse or to upbraid, but to inquire. There is nothing unusual in His approach; the change was in those who flee and hide themselves, instead of adoringly welcoming His condescension, as in moments past; and it is for them to account for the change. 'Adam, where art thou?'"

"May not these last words be regarded as a kind of key-note of the whole group of narratives that has now been read? … The illustration which each and all afford of this grand, central, all-important foundation fact. 'The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.'"

"And yet, with such statements throughout God's word, the soul, instead of believing God when He declares how good He is, instead of receiving Christ, stands reasoning, and seeking to evade the love which still pursues us with the needed, indispensable good."

"The Lord accepted it as a compliment, and proceeded by parables to show that He not only received sinners but positively sought them, and also to demonstrate what kind of reception sinners get when they are received."

"The Shepherd finds the sheep; the labour and toil is His. Having found it, He secures it and brings it home. His shoulders become its security. He brings it home, and then His joy begins."

"He could not now say, 'What man of you,' if he have a prodigal son and he returns, will not 'run and fall on his neck and kiss him'? We doubt if any man would go to the lengths of the father of this parable … This parable sets forth the grace of God the Father."

"It is He who sought us when, like sheep gone astray, we wandered in wilfulness and pride over the dark mountains of sin and folly, and, having found us, exercised His own matchless grace and power in securing us for ever for Himself. He went after us when we were lost, and having found us, laid us upon His shoulders, and took us home rejoicing."

"How striking the story of Jonah is as a gospel illustration! He seeks to flee from God's presence, a vain task. And just as Jonah was brought to heel, so will every man and woman in the world be brought into God's presence."

"Happy was it that if Jonah fled from God, God pursued after him for his blessing."

"Jonah was independent, he paid his fare; indifferent, he went to sleep, but God followed him and reached him for his blessing."

"How the grace of God pursues a man, seeking his soul; goes after him when he does not care a bit about it; seeks him that He may save him. He pursued Saul of Tarsus when he only hated Him. He is pursuing you, following you in grace tonight, though you do not care for Him … Oh! let His grace, let His heart, who is thus pursuing you in love, win your heart for Him tonight."

"God delights to say, as the fruit and consequence of His death and finished work, 'Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.'"

Though God pursues in purest love and grace, Yet man His presence ever seeks to shun … From thy true Friend, O man! why dost thou flee? From Him who gave His dear and only Son In love that has no like and no degree; And who to save thy soul is still pursuing thee.