In spite of all this I gave my heart to Jesus at age seven and ran from him for the next forty years. Sometime during this marathon, a very wise preacher told me that the only issue to resolve was the deity of Jesus Christ. When that is answered he said, all the other challenges would fall into place.
Those that God has given him he will not lose none of them.
I believed in Jesus at the same age.
Struggled for the next 40 years plus.
Ran away many a time.
Wherever I ran to he was already there waiting for me.
On one particular occasion when I came back to church after two years I was sat praying. Even during this time I missed him, but I couldn't seem to find a way back.
Very hurting (cause of me walking away) yet feeling very guilty and not worthy of Gods love.
In fact on the first day I went to the church that I'm still in someone who had never seen me came up to me as I was sat at the back of the church.
She said "I don't know you but God has said to me to tell you this
Jeremiah 29:11-14
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. (Ps I had never read those verses)
So a day or two later I said to God "Im sorry I ran away from you"
He said to me "I knew where you were going to, so I prepared this place for you"
Then those verses actually hit home.
As Jesus said "I will lose none that the Father has given me"
Jesus does not lie.
Therefore he speaks truth only.
Thank you Jesus.