Out for a Run

There are times during my spiritual journey that I am unexpectedly overcome by amazing truths about who God is. You see, I was out for a run this morning. And what a beautiful morning it was to run. The weather was cool, but not too cold, and there was still a foggy mist that lingered in the woods of Hendrick's Park (the oldest park in Eugene). As I ran up hills and through moss-covered fir trees, I began to realize that all of this beauty is not just for me. I ran by hikers and other runners as they experienced this typical Oregon morning. I had my ipod on and a song started that almost brought me to a standstill so that I could truly meditate on the meaning of it. The song is titled "Hosea" and is sung by a folk duo, Jacob & Lily. The lyrics that captured me went like this:

"You promised me that we'd last forever,
You promised me that we'd stick together,
But your heart is wild,
And your eyes they wander,
Why do I miss you"

Here is the amazing truth that I realized after hearing these words: God is always pursuing us, He is always loving us. Even when I promise to follow Him whole-heartedly, I stumble and my eyes wander from focusing on the cross. And, even when I begin to do my own thing and try to take control of my own life, God misses me...deeply misses me, misses us. He can use a number of ways to remind us of His presence. He can use a song. He can use a beautiful morning and an old park. He can use other people. He can whisper to us through the trees. You see, our Father is always fighting for us, desiring to be in a relationship with us. And this is the story of Hosea. Hosea was a man who was cheated on by his wife and who got his heart broken countless times. But, God tells him to go and redeem his wife from the life she is living. He says to love her as much as he did when he first met her and to forgive her for the hurt she has caused, and to be married to her for the rest of his life. God is always pursuing us. More than anything He wants us to feel His love and to rest in it. I realize that I may not always live up to my promise of sticking with God, but I am thankful for morning runs through mossy trees.

Derek