# Our Advent journey with Christ: God seeks us first
*2014-12-07*

> Reflecting on the second week of Advent, Bill Young explores the beautiful truth that God always takes the initiative in seeking out the human soul.

## The Initiative of God

Today is Monday of the second week of Advent. We are reading from a book titled 'Our Advent Journey with Christ in the Words of Pope Francis.' The theme is that God seeks us first. As Isaiah 64:5 says, 'You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways.' It is marvelous to realize that God first comes to each of us; in the Bible, God always appears as the one who takes the initiative in His encounter with us.

## A Patient Seeker

God seeks us, often precisely while we are in bitter and tragic moments, or even while we are ignoring God and fleeing from Him. He does not wait to seek us, but seeks us out immediately. Our Father is a patient seeker. He goes before us and waits for us, never tiring of that wait. He is never far from us, but possesses the patience to wait for the best possible moment to meet each of us.

## The Sustaining Presence

When that encounter finally happens, it is never rushed. God wants to remain at length with us to sustain us, to console us, and to give us His joy. God always hastens to meet us, but He never rushes to leave us. He stays with us. Just as we long for and desire God, God also desires to be with us.

*Jesus, help me seek you who are always seeking me.*