“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (vs. 6).

This well-known psalm of David describes how God watches over and cares for His people like a shepherd for his sheep.

It was a common analogy for people in this culture in David’s time to view rulers as shepherds. But the Psalmist raises the stakes with his analogy by declaring that the Lord not only watches over and cares for His flock, but He also pursues them with His unfailing love.

Jesus poignantly illustrates this principle in the parable of the lost sheep. He told how a shepherd would leave his 99 sheep to pursue one lost sheep until he found it. And then when it was found, he would celebrate its recovery and restoration: “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7, NLT).

God’s pursues you with lovingkindness. He pursues you like a lover pursues his beloved. And, when He finds you, when He catches you, He will love you and watch over you and take care of you all of your life–in this world and in the world to come!

We love each other because he loved us first. (1 John 4:19, NLT)