Preface
Would a man in his right mind chase a wicked woman who had abandoned him and their small son? Probably not. Not unless he was committed to being a man of integrity who determined to keep his word no matter what. Persistent Pursuit is the story of such a man.
But it’s more than that. There’s a cosmic reality revealed in this book. Some might call it karma. Others would write it off as pure coincidence. Of course, a work of fiction reflects the world view of the author. The reader may disagree with that perspective. The question still waits for an answer. Does God really pursue the persons He creates to prod them into a life that carries out His purpose?
Frances Thompson wrote a classic poem back in the 19th century entitled The Hound of Heaven. In archaic language he wrote out of his life-long experience of being sought out by God in spite of his addiction to opium and a life of poverty. The relentless actions carried out by “the Hound” without violating the free will of the “Fox” make up the dramatic content of this epic poem.
God Himself provided a living parable of His persistent, unconditional love for His created subjects in the life of the prophet Hosea. The extravagance of His love was unfolded in the ridiculous demand that Hosea seek a wife among the prostitutes. Talk about a recipe for marital unfaithfulness! Gomer’s subsequent return to the red light district could not have been a surprise to the prophet. Then, to top off the folly of God’s determination to keep forgiving His sinful people, He commands the prophet to go pay off Gomer’s pimp and take her back home. Crazy!
Hold on! Isn’t that exactly what God has done for all of us? Paul reminds us in Romans 5:8 God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We are Gomer. We are the fox chased by the Hound. We are Brad and Stella Crosley. And our God persistently pursues us to fulfill His purpose as we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)
