Tag, You’re it
See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. - Revelation 3:20
Name one game that all children want adults to play with them as soon as they know how to run? You probably guessed it right away; the game of Chase! A child taps you on the arm (or leg) and then yells “Chase me!” as they haphazardly run away in the opposite direction. I can hear the line in a sing-song tune from a familiar children’s story, “Run, run as fast you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!”
When children enter school, the game of chase becomes a favorite recess activity. The group of children look like a swarm of bees as they run in circles looking behind themselves, one person in pursuit of the nearest child, the rest trying to get away. In this case, being caught is not the ideal ending.
But in God’s world, getting caught in His pursuit of us, is the best ending!
From the very beginning, God has pursued us. After Adam and Eve sinned, they did not run toward God; they ran away from Him, hiding among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8), not wanting to be caught. But God pursued them: “The Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (verse 9). The Creator sought out His lost creatures. If you have read even just a few stories in the Bible then you will agree that God has always had a heart of reconciliation.
The words of the Bible weave a simple yet profound message… God loves His children and wants to be in a relationship with them. He wants to hang with His kids! At a recent bible study our pastor pointed out the strange use of words when someone says that they ‘found Jesus’. She asked, “Was He missing?” We laughed, of course, knowing that Jesus is not missing, how silly is that. Honestly, I’m sure I’ve used that phrase before, it just seems natural, but as she pointed out, when we dig deeper into the actual meaning of that phrase we see the irony. God wasn’t missing… we were. The truth is that the entire Bible is the story of God in pursuit of us.
That same heart of pursuit is revealed again in Jesus’ own words in John 6:44: “No one can come to Him unless the Father first draws them.” This verse demonstrates four key concepts of God’s pursuit of us.
God initiates the relationship; He pursues us first. Our faith journey doesn’t begin with our own effort, but with His gentle invitation. He is always the One who draws us near — not out of obligation, but out of love. Just like a child taps us on the arm to start the game of chase, we love God because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). However, similarly, the game of chase needs more than one player, and God’s pursuit of us is not a one person sport. We must engage with Him. Yes, God is in pursuit of us however we do need to turn around and accept His request to engage.
Second, God’s pursuit is personal. He doesn’t call humanity in a general sense; He calls each of us by name (Isaiah 43:1). His calling is intimate, intentional, and rooted in relationship.
Third, God’s pursuit has a purpose. He draws us not only to Himself, but also into transformation — to live in the fullness of His love, grace, and truth. Then we are to share our God story with others in our circle of influence.
Last, His pursuit is ongoing and unending. Our Father never stops going after us! Be encouraged my friend! Just as it says in Psalm 139: 7 - 10, we are not able to go anywhere that God can not find us!
God’s pursuit of us is for our good.
When we recognize that our faith begins with God’s loving pursuit, it changes everything. Instead of striving to earn His presence, we can rest in the truth that He has already come looking for us. There is no greater honor in the universe than being the objects of God Almighty’s pursuit. So when he taps you on the shoulder and says, “You’re it!”, rejoice in the win! You have been tagged by Him for belonging, for purpose, and for His glory.
