The other day I took the boys to the park to let them burn off a little energy. As we were walking up to the equipment, another mom was leaving with her young son. As she was working to lead him back to their car, he escaped from her arms and ran away.

He got out of her vision, but I saw him go and hide under the slide. As I watched her look for him, I could see him smiling and laughing. She was smiling too as she was calling his name. When she got near him, she said, “Got ya!”, then grabbed him. He shrieked with delight.

Once again she started to the car and away he ran. This time she was less amused, but he was still as happy as could be. Again I could see him smiling and laughing as he waited to be found. And once again when she found him, he was elated.

About ten minutes after they left, another little boy and his mom walked up. After a while, he and Christian also started playing hide and go seek while this mom chased them both. And just like the other little boy, as this mom pretended to not know where they were, both boys beamed with joy while she was pursuing them.

After that game ended, the mom and I ended up standing next to one another on the same play equipment. So I asked her how old her son was and if he was her only child. She immediately answered by saying, “Yeah, I want more. But his father doesn’t want to be with me. He told me he doesn’t want a family.”

The therapist in me just couldn’t resist so I started asking more questions about her life and came to find out that pretty much everyone in her life had left her. As I looked at her sweet and young face, I was overcome with a feeling of sorrow for her.

As I was leaving, I looked at her and said, “I know this isn’t really my place, but if he doesn’t want you, then he is not the type of person you should be with. You deserve to be pursued.” She looked at me and said, “Yeah, I guess. Thanks for listening.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m no different than the kids on the playground or this sweet, but sad mom.

I love to be pursued. It feels good to know you are wanted.

And I don’t know about you. But I hate to be rejected.

There is really nothing that can leave me feeling more sad.

That is one reason my heart beats for God’s love. I am never playing games with Him where I end up feeling rejected. He is always pursuing me. He always wants me.

There isn’t a question that if I make the wrong move, say the wrong thing, look the wrong way, think the wrong thought that He won’t come running after me. No matter what…when we hide to see if we are worth the pursuit, He always seeks us.

In fact, there is really nothing you can do to make him reject you. Really. There is nothing.

And the reality of that leaves me smiling just like the boys on the playground.

Because with Jesus, I always win.

And that is a game that never gets old.

…

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus. ” Romans 8: 38-39 (CEV)