Holy Badgering: Will You Pursue?

I like inviting people to my house. We experience something intimate once they cross the threshold, and it’s easy for me to casually make an offer.

Come for coffee?

 How about lunch?

 Need a bite to eat?

 We’re having an open house—wanna come?

I like inviting, but not everyone likes coming. What’s that all about, Lord? Is it me? Is it her? Is it you? I do wonder, Do I keep at it, or let it be?

I asked Maggie to come for Bible study. Three weeks in, still no Maggie.

What if you invite someone and she doesn’t respond? Some holy badgering, perhaps?

I invited Maggie for coffee. Nothing. Then I texted, “Lunch this Friday?” with cute emojis of food and love. No word.

Finally, an answer:  I apologize for my distance. I’ve had a hard couple of weeks, and I tend to get withdrawn.

 I love Maggie —for many reasons—but this time I loved her because she owned her hurt. She didn’t excuse herself: Life is hard right now and this is how I deal.

 Life is hard, and we deal in different ways. Withdrawing is one way. (Retail therapy is another, or chocolate.)

I know more than one Maggie. Maybe you do too. Here are my questions for the Maggies who deal by withdrawing:

• Do you want me to come after you?
• Do you mind if I keep asking?
• Do you wish I wouldn’t badger?
• Do you wish we had never met?

I want to know.

I don’t go after everyone; I can’t, nor shouldn’t. Nor should you. But when God puts a name in our brain—someone he wants—we’d better listen up. We listen carefully and carefully pursue. And let it go, if that’s the end of it until he speaks of her again.

Here’s why: God’s pursuit is relentless. He not only welcomes; he comes after us. That’s why I don’t give up. He didn’t give up on me. He won’t give up on you. The sooner you cave, the better.

This judge finally did. The woman wouldn’t give up until he did. But in Luke 18:1–8, Jesus in effect said,  “Keep praying. It’s a holy badgering. And I will respond.”

Then he gave them an illustration to show that they must always pray and never lose heart.

“Once upon a time,” he said, “there was a magistrate in a town who had neither fear of God nor respect for his fellow-men. There was a widow in the town who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Please protect me from the man who is trying to ruin me.’ And for a long time he refused. But later he said to himself, ‘Although I don’t fear God and have no respect for men, yet this woman is such a nuisance that I shall give judgment in her favour, or else her continual visits will be the death of me!’”

Then the Lord said, “Notice how this dishonest magistrate behaved. Do you suppose God, patient as he is, will not see justice done for his chosen, who appeal to him day and night?” (PHILLIPS)

Day and night. Now that’s some holy badgering.

So, you know, Maggie came for lunch last week. A blast and a blessing. I’ll ask her again in a bit. We’ll see what happens.

It can hurt when I invite and don’t get a response, but when that happens, I ask myself:

Do I always respond to God’s invitations? (I think not!)

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)

Don’t I want to know him in his suffering? (Yes, I do!)

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings… (Philippians 3:10 NKJV)

Aren’t I in this for the long haul? (You bet!)

Then he gave them an illustration to show that they must always pray and never lose heart. (Luke 18:1 PHILLIPS)

When I invite and don’t get a response, I’m in good company. God knows how it feels. He will tell me when to keep inviting or not.

I’m grateful he never stops knocking. He wants you and me at his table. He’s relentless that way. I need all the holy badgering I can get.

Relentlessly. Gently. Lovingly. It can take a bit of holy badgering—first on God’s door, then on another’s. There’s room at the table. It just may take a while to get someone there.

Who will you pursue today?

As a retreat speaker, Bible teacher, or workshop leader, Sue Moore Donaldson loves sharing who God is with whoever comes her way. For her, intentional hospitality for the sake of Jesus is a joy and a privilege, and she knows it can be learned! Sue encourages you to find the reality and joy of knowing God through his Word – and that can happen at any kitchen table or back porch or BBQ. Sue and her husband Mark reside in San Luis Obispo, California where they’ve raised three daughters. Find more from Sue at Welcome Heart.

Photograph © Dev Benjamin, used with permission