When God Ran

“When God Ran”

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)

Luke chapter 15 consists of three parables (or stories) with one central thought, that of God’s redeeming love. In each of the stories something is lost and then found, followed by rejoicing over finding that which was lost. By way of these simple stories, Jesus is encouraging his followers to be like God the Father, to be redemptive in our relationships. God is patient with us, He seeks to restore us, to change us for the better, and He is “always” redemptive towards us. And we’re glad that God is like that. “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10). In other words, God doesn’t give you what you deserve, He gives you what you don’t deserve, grace!

What would move a man to leave his 99 sheep in search of the one that was lost? What would cause a woman to sweep her home clean, to get down on the floor to find that one coin that fell off the dresser? What would cause a man who had been mistreated by his son, disrespected by him, done wrong by him, what would cause him to now to run and embrace his now returning wayward son? What keeps God running and redeeming is his children! He redeems because He loves, that is his nature (Jn. 3:16). That is why we seek to carry out His mission in our lives, and in the life of the church.

If we are going to reach our community with the Gospel, we must be a welcoming place of grace where people can get close to God and connect with others. Will people be welcomed at HBC? That largely depends on the answer to the question, are you welcoming? Are you redemptive in how you deal with other people? Are you non-judgmental, kind, merciful, and patient?

If we struggle with being patient with people, with showing mercy and compassion, if we would rather be right than love, if we like things the way they are, we need only to get close to our heavenly Father who deals with us redemptively and changes us to do likewise. When you get close to God, His character rubs off on you. You can no longer be content with a narrow vision of God’s love. You can no longer be satisfied knowing that you’re ok (with the 99) but that there are others who are the “one” who are lost. God doesn’t throw a party for high attendance day, the “99,” he throws a party when the “one” person who was lost is found. And as long as there is the “one,” God will continue to run.

We were made aware this past week of an amazing story of perseverance and determination. Former NFL fullback, Ron Konrad survived a 16 hour ordeal in the Gulf of Mexico swimming 27 miles to safety after falling off his 31’ boat while fishing alone nine miles off the coast of Florida. He had caught a large fish and was tending to the rod when a wave hit the boat and knocked him in the water. His boat was on autopilot and headed east. There were no other boats in sight and he was not wearing a life preserver.

Twice he was nearly rescued. A recreational fishing boat approached within 50 yards, but Konrad couldn’t flag it down. Then a Coast Guard helicopter searching for him flew overhead. Konrad said, “They had the lights on me and kept going. They didn’t see me. That was a difficult time.” But the ex-Miami Dolphin kept swimming, thinking of his daughters, ages 8 and 10. He said, “I had to get to shore.” His boat was found near Grand Bahama Island on Deadman’s Reef, the irony of the name not lost on Konrad. He had gone the other way.

It could be said of humanity (of us), that we are dead in the water, we’ve fallen off the boat without a life preserver and without help, without hope, and no chance of rescue in sight, and it’s us who are headed towards Deadman’s Reef. But unlike the story where Konrad who through sheer determination made it to shore, God in Christ has determined to get to us. And what keeps God running and redeeming is his children who are lost and who need to be found. This is the heart of God. This is to be our heart for our community, for our world. People are hurting and in need of God’s redeeming love all around us. Let’s determine to follow our Father who continues to run to redeem and will continue to do so as long as there is the “one.”

Pastor Joe

“I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3