“I fled Him down the nights and down the days..”
The quote is from “The Hound of Heaven” by Francis Thompson. Thinking of how God is always there for us and with us, if we’ll only open ourselves to His presence, my mind wandered to Thompson’s poem and how if fitted in with Jonah’s experience.
Both men, deep their hearts, know of God’s love and how He doesn’t give up on anyone; how He will pursue and pursue, giving everyone every chance possible to turn to Him and accept His love. When this truth came home to Jonah he prayed realising how at his lowest point he could still reach out to acknowledge God in all His glory and His love. Francis Thompson, running away from all his family’s expectations and what he saw as demands from God Himself, brought himself to poverty, addiction and the edge of death.
It was then Thompson accepted that God had never stopped loving him even though he had run from God. In his poem he sees God “..with unhurrying chase and un-perturb-ed pace, Deliberate speed…” always coming after him, never giving up on him. And at the end he listens to the voice of God telling him “Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest, I am He whom thou seekest.” The one running away has turned and become the seeker and God is there waiting for him to run into His arms of love.
Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians. God is infinitely patient with us – we need to be patient with ourselves and with the world around us today. So, take a little time to listen to God – to be aware of Him and His love. Normally I spend a lot of time running around – I am learning there is a time to stop running and to simply be, be with God.Prayer: Loving, parent God. You never give up on us, never let go of us. Open our hearts to you now so that we may praise you for your patience and your forgiving love. Take from us the worry of what may lie ahead and give us the grace to rest in You now with praise and thanksgiving. Amen