Our ritual is the same every evening. After everyone else is down for the night, Tiny and I go for a short walk. Since we allow our miniature dachshund to sleep in the house, he needs to go outside take care of his “business” before bedding down for a long night’s sleep. Tiny is usually much more excited about our little walk than I am. In fact, he would much prefer to have a big walk than a little one.

    After all his “business transactions” are completed, I’m ready to go to bed. He would like to play and visit the neighbors. I’ve learned, however, that to get him inside, I have to play a little game. If I try to call him or chase him down, he moves farther away. The more I pursue, the more he moves away. On the other hand, if I simply whistle, turn around, and walk back to the front door, he will bolt toward the door and go in with me.

    At first I was struck with how dumb he was to be fooled night after night, falling for the same old tactic. But as I sat there under the street light one evening, I was struck with a greater truth. There are so many things I pursue that elude my grasp. The more I pursue them, the more surely they elude me. Yet when I set my focus on the real goal and not the pursuit of its symbol, its façade, the more I realize what I hoped to achieve. The issue is not pursuit, but the right pursuit.

God knows those things we most need.

    Jesus emphasized this principle in his famous Sermon on the Mount. He reminded us that we seek after many things. God knows those things we most need. So our goal should be to pursue his Kingdom and his righteousness. God will take care of these other things we seek and need.

    Let’s take a careful look this week at what we are pursuing. So often we chase, money, fame, fortune, power, a happy family, a successful business, a secure retirement, good kids, lasting health, etc. Yet in running after those things, the joy we seek in them so often escapes us. The more we pursue, the farther away they become. Only when we place the work and the will of the Lord Jesus first do we find what we seek and most desperately need. Let's not give up the chase, let’s just make sure we have the right pursuit!