God Longs to Bring Us Home

I'm working on a blog of my own thoughts but until then I wanted to share this that I grabbed from here.

The follow words were published in 1994 by Henri Nouwen.

For most of my life I have struggled to find God, to know God, to love God. I have tried hard to follow the guidelines of the spiritual life—pray always, work for others, read the Scriptures—and to avoid the many temptations to dissipate myself. I have failed many times but always tried again, even when I was close to despair.


Now I wonder whether I have sufficiently realized that during all this time God has been trying to find me, to know me, and to love me. The question is not “How am I to find God?” but “How am I to let myself be found by him?” The question is not “How am I to know God?” but “How am I to let myself be known by God?” And, finally, the question is not “How am I to love God?” but “How am I to let myself be loved by God?” God is looking into the distance for me, trying to find me, and longing to bring me home.

From The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming byHenri J. M. Nouwen

The thing that grabs me is that last line: "God is looking into the distance for me, trying to find me and longing to bring me home." Even though with the story of the prodigal son, I tend to identify more with the older brother, (whom the Father also comes looking for) there is something in me that resonates with that thought.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. 2 chronicles 16:9

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Matthew 23:37

How about you, do you struggling to find God, or to let yourself be found by Him. Is this just semantics? Is it a both/and deal?

What are your thoughts?