He Sought Me
By Brita Crouse
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”
Galatians 5:24 (NLT)
“He died for me while I was sinning
Needy and poor and blind
He whispered to assure me,
‘I've found thee, thou art mine’
I'd never heard a sweeter voice
It made my aching heart rejoice” [1]
The first time I heard those lyrics, it was like I had been struck by lightning. I was in church, feeling disheartened and distant from God, when all of a sudden...these words hit me. It was truth I so badly needed to hear during a time when God was feeling very distant. The song? The hymn “In Tenderness,” originally written by William Spencer Walton.
After hearing this song, I had a revelation, which is probably obvious, but it struck me nonetheless. It was this: The closeness I feel in my relationship with God is dependent on me. I was at a place where I was feeling far from God and wondering why I felt like this. Well, it was because of me, because of my distance. God is constant, faithful, and steadfast. I (we) are fickle, unreliable and inconsistent.
All relationships require effort, including our relationship with God. It’s easy just to shout up a prayer to God when we want something, but this isn’t how our relationship with Him is supposed to be. For relationships to grow and flourish, they require constant communication, unconditional love, and genuine care and concern for one another (among other things). Here’s the thing: God demonstrates these things perfectly, we don’t.
The truly amazing thing about having a relationship with God is His gift of salvation and His willingness to forgive our sins. “He died for [us] while [we were] sinning!” Our sins were crucified with Christ. He died for you. He died for me. How comforting it is to know God wants to forgive us, to bring restoration to our relationship with Him. All we need to do is confess and ask.
It is easy to put up barriers with God, to convince ourselves we are too unlovable to be loved by Him. But, it’s simply not true. God is still unwavering in His love for us when we are at our worst. A relationship with God is not always easy, but it is always worth it.
Listen for His voice, whispering, “I’ve found you, you are Mine.”
GOING DEEPER:
1. How is God speaking to you today? What are ways He is showing His love for you?
2. Listen to “In Tenderness” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib1cUFyZwv0) and reflect on the lyrics and how they apply to you today.
FURTHER READING:
Brita is currently working toward her Master’s in Counseling at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past seventeen years.
