Relentless

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?”

Psalm 139:7

We celebrated Mother’s Day this past weekend and social media was blown up with tributes to moms all around the world. I saw a common thread in the tributes I came across that echoed my own heart as to why this day is such a major celebration. Godly mothers share many qualities and characteristics that we see in God Himself, the most prevalent seems to be the relentless love of God.  

I have always believed that you can cut the umbilical cord when a child is born but the umbilical cord between mother and child is never cut. It’s as if there is an invisible cord that exists between mother and child all the days of her life. Cathie Laurie, the wife of Pastor Greg Laurie posted a short mothers day encouragement where she referenced a children’s book tilted, “The Runaway Bunny which is the comforting and assuring account of a mother’s love and care. The book paints a beautiful picture of a mother bunny’s assurance to her headstrong son that there is no where he can go to escape the power of her love.

I love this story because the relationship between Mother Bunny and her Little Bunny parallels the relationship God has with His children. No matter where the Little Bunny goes, where he tries to run away to or hide, what he attempts to transform himself into, Mother Bunny is one step ahead and always knows exactly how to find him and always there right beside him. And in the end Little Bunny realizes the safest place to be is with his Mother Bunny.

As you read the book, thoughts of God’s relentless love that we see all throughout scripture comes to mind, most clearly portrayed in the words of Psalm 139: 7-12, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.”

The Runaway Bunny…

Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away.

So he said to his mother, “I am running away.”

“If you run away,” said his mother, “I will run after you.

For you are my little bunny.”

“If you run after me,” said the little bunny,

“I will become a fish in a trout stream

and I will swim away from you.”

“If you become a fish in a trout stream,” said his mother,

“I will become a fisherman and I will fish for you.”

“If you become a fisherman,” said the little bunny,

“I will become a rock on the mountain, high above you.”

“If you become a rock on the mountain high above me,”

said his mother, “I will become a mountain climber,

and I will climb to where you are.”

“If you become a mountain climber,”

said the little bunny,

“I will be a crocus in a hidden garden.”

“If you become a crocus in a hidden garden,”

said his mother, “I will be a gardener. And I will find you.”

“If you are a gardener and find me,”

said the little bunny, “I will be a bird

and fly away from you.”

“If you become a bird and fly away from me,”

said his mother, “I will be a tree that you come home to.”

“If you become a tree,” said the little bunny,

“I will become a little sailboat,

and I will sail away from you.”

“If you become a sailboat and sail away from me,”

said his mother, “I will become the wind

and blow you where I want you to go.”

“If you become the wind and blow me,” said the little bunny,

“I will join a circus and fly away on a flying trapeze.”

“If you go flying on a flying trapeze,” said his mother,

“I will be a tightrope walker,

and I will walk across the air to you.”

“If you become a tightrope walker and walk across the air,”

said the bunny, “I will become a little boy

and run into a house.”

“If you become a little boy and run into a house,”

said the mother bunny, “I will become your mother

and catch you in my arms and hug you.”

“Shucks,” said the bunny, “I might just as well

stay where I am and be your little bunny.”

And so he did.

“Have a carrot,” said the mother bunny.”



A beautiful fictional story that I pray like the little bunny found to be true, may you know today in a real way that the best place and the safest place to be in this life is in the presence of the Lord. As many a child will tell you, because of their own mothers relentless love they have come to believe and know that no matter where the roads of life may take them, there is no place like home.  

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6

I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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