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He is Always Seeking Us

Last week during a weekday mass, one of our priests shared a homily that really put into perspective the way that God cares for us. The priest happens to be from India. He shared that in Hinduism, the main religion in India, people believe they must seek out a god to have any sort of connection. 

He explained just how different that is for Christians and our relationship with the one True God. God is always seeking us. This can be seen in countless places in the Bible but one of my favorites is in the book of Ezekiel. 

For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. (Ezekiel 34:11-12)

When I reflect on my attitude towards God in the past, I think about how sometimes, when things in life were difficult, I thought God must not care about what happens to me. For example, when I went to the emergency room for knee pain one day thinking I would just receive a steroid shot or something for inflammation, only to find out that I had an aggressive cancerous lesion growing on my right leg. I remember refusing to pray. I thought, why would I pray to a god that let this happen to me? Looking back I realize how much easier it would have been if I had called out to Him for comfort during that time. 

Even as I resisted Him, His love was still shown to me so many times during that battle. For example, a stranger from a church made me a handmade quilt to take with me when getting chemo. The quilt had fabric on it that said "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!". Even when I didn't want to pray, I still thought, wow what a nice gift from a stranger with such a sweet message. In fact, due to skin sensitivity, it was the only blanket I could use at times. I now realize that that person was helping to show me that God was still by my side, even when I rejected Him. He as still a source of comfort even as I turned away. 

God is that for all of us. No matter how much we resist. He is always at our door of our hearts, knocking. We just have to open up and let Him in. 

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd. (John 10:11-16)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus explains that He is the Good Shepherd. And that this means that being our shepherd is more than just a job He has to do. It is literally His eternal passion- to look after His sheep, guide them, protect them, and even die for them. And He does this for no other gain that to have all of His sheep surrounding Him so that He may pour love upon them for eternity. God is not seeking us for any gain other than sharing in His glory. How beautiful is that?

So even when we feel unworthy of God's love and mercy because of mistakes we have made, we must remember that He is still waiting for us to come back into his fold so he can wash us and make us clean again. Even when we feel lost and alone, we must be still and wait to hear His voice so that we may find our way back into the pasture. 

My prayer for today:

Lord Jesus, thank you for constantly seeking me, even when I feel too weak to follow. Thank you for loving me, even when I have strayed from you and turned away. I pray that you help me to focus on all the blessings and mercies that you bestow upon me every day. I pray that even in hard times, I remember that I can follow your voice to safety. I pray that in your fold, I continue to feel the grace of your love and share in that love with my brothers and sisters from every flock. Amen.


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