it chases me down

Yesterday I passed the sacrament in my ward. This is a common occurrence because there are only a few young men in my ward. I passed the bread to the people seated in the pews against the wall and then into the foyer. The first time I went to the foyer there was only one person out there. When I went out the second time, with the water, I ran out and needed to wait for a tray from the middle section before returning to the foyer.

I easily could’ve left the one guy hanging, but waited until the middle passers were done to grab the extra water cups from that tray and go out to the foyer. Once I gave him the water I looked around and noticed a lady that I had given bread to earlier that had walked out with her crying baby. She was walking down the hallway, in the opposite direction, soothing her baby.

I started to walk toward her. She wasn’t facing me and continued to walk down the hallway away from me.

I kept up the chase.

I increased my stride length to catch her, but the distance between her and I grew. She seemed to be picking up speed, probably to get her baby away from the quiet chapel and classrooms. In order to catch her I had to get up to a slow jog and immediately the thought came to me,

this is how Jesus pursues you.

Even when you are turned away, walking in the opposite direction, and picking up speed He STILL chases after you.

Quickly, several bible verses came to mind:

Psalm 23:6 (The Message): “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.”

Luke 15:4-5 (The Message): “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you’d put it across your shoulders, rejoicing.”

Reckless Love (chorus) Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, still You give Yourself away Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.

When I finally caught up to here we were at the end of the hallway near the exit doors. I tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around completely surprised.

She seemed like she couldn’t believe that 1. I had realized she hadn’t partaken of the water and 2. that I would chase her down like that. As she reached for a cup she mumbled “thank you, thank you” took a sip and while putting it back again muttered, “thank you so much” under her breath.

I turned back toward the chapel and as I walked back my eyes filled with tears.

God whispered again,

“now you know in, the smallest degree, how going after the one makes me feel”.

It was overwhelming, sweet and tender.

I joined the other passers who were waiting for me. We walked back to the sacrament table, returned the trays and sat down.

Just like the moment was gone, but the feeling and whisper from God has stayed with me since.