This morning I needed to quickly run into the store to pick up a few things. In my hurriedness, as I checked out, I bagged the items, threw my receipt in the bag, and made a beeline for the parking lot. On my way out I grabbed my key remote, started my car, hurriedly placed the items in the trunk, and then pushed the cart rapidly back to the cart rack. Of course, during this time I was zig-zagging in and out of parking lot traffic, moving between parked cars, and trying to answer my ringing phone. As I finally settled into my car seat and began to "strap in," I looked up to see an out-of-breath cashier waving at me from just outside my window. With a huge smile, a breathless voice, and a pointing finger she motioned and let me know that I had left my Diet Mt. Dew at the checkout. She had chased me through traffic, in and out of parked cars, all the way to my seat, just to give me this one good thing. I do love Diet Dew.
When I went to my office a few minutes later, I thought about how God chases us, follows us, and weaves in and out just to give us goodness, mercy, grace, and His love. Sitting down at my desk, I read the verse on my calendar for the day. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6
Wow! Sometimes I am blown away by his pursuit of us — even when we don't recognize that he's chasing us through the parking lots of life just to give us His goodness, mercy, and love.
HE PURSUES US!
Eric Bowman
Eric is our associate pastor, working with outreach and youth ministry as well as adult discipleship and growth. Eric retired from a 28-year career in public education as a high school band director in 2019 and is now living his lifelong dream as a pastor. Eric and his wife, Diana, continue to live in Henry County where they have been lifetime residents. They "raised" three children and are now making their best attempt at "raising" themselves.