You’re being hunted!

We’re all being pursued, but who is going to find us, asks Gordon Allan

When I was a boy, we called it ‘Hide and Seek’. As a teenager it had the darker name of ‘Manhunt’. Today’s TV version is ‘Hunted’, where teams of two people try to evade ex-cops, security experts and IT gurus whose mission is to track down and capture the ‘fugitives’ using modern technology. Often it boils down to a good old-fashioned chase and dash to evade capture.

There is something exhilarating about being pursued. Someone is coming after me, someone is looking for me. Words like ‘intentional’, ‘diligent’ and ‘focused’ spring to mind.

Both Jesus Christ and our enemy Satan pursue us. One seeking to save, rescue, transform, call, equip and bring abundant life – the other to devour (1 Peter 5:8), steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). I know which one I want to find me!

In the Gospels Jesus intentionally pursued individuals: the fishermen, Simon Peter and Andrew – “Come follow me,” (Matt 4:19); Philip – “Follow me,” (John 1:43); the corrupt, camouflaged tax collector up a tree, Zacchaeus – “I must stay at your house today,” (Luke 19:5); and those he called to himself and appointed apostles (Mark 3:14). Even the lukewarm church of Laodicea heard Jesus say, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me,” (Rev 3:20). That is Christ’s intentional and persistent pursuit.

The pursuit of Jesus is often felt as the internal nudge to spend time with him. Like friends ringing the doorbell to find out if ‘I was coming out to play’, there comes the strong impression that I need to ‘be with Jesus’; would I come and ‘be with’ Jesus? That is how Mark described the calling and purpose of the first apostles: “that they might be with him,” (Mark 3:14).

What needs to change in our thinking, our habits, our responsibilities and our priorities to enable us to respond to Jesus’ intentional pursuit of our lives? What a simple challenge, yet how profoundly difficult.

For those early disciples, nothing else mattered but being with Jesus. In being with Jesus every area of life is up for change. The bits that were easy to let go of and also the hard stuff. It is no different for us – ‘being with Jesus’ means nothing is hidden (he sees it anyway!) and that we must be as intentional about letting go of sin and living 100 per cent for him.

But ‘being with Jesus’ was only half of Jesus’ intentional pursuit. It was also that this gang of twelve (and us as we fulfil the Great Commission, Matt 28:18-20) would have a message to declare and an authority to demonstrate God’s power over sickness, disease, and demonic activity.

It happens when we pray, when we spend time studying the Bible, when we work on our character, when we say ‘no’ to Satan’s lies and temptations, and when we create godly rhythms around our lives of worship, fellowship and service in the local church. It occurs when we surround ourselves with others on the same faith trajectory, when we build accountability into our lives, when we admit weaknesses and when we step out in faith to intentionally pursue others to introduce them to Jesus Christ.

Gordon Allan is a member of the MPower team and Senior Leader at Edinburgh Elim Church

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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