http://cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/hound.html

Have you read the poem by Francis Thompson titled, The Hound of Heaven? It begins:

THE HOUND OF HEAVEN
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
Up vistaed hopes, I sped;
And shot, precipitated,
Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.
But with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat–and a Voice beat
More instant than the Feet–
“All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.”
(See complete text @ Project Gutenberg Online.

The poem speaks so eloquantly of how the LORD pursues me with deliberate [agape] love. It speaks of how my flesh feared to submit to godly love, knowing that:

For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and [d]pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and [e]seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].
Romans 8 AMP ( Bible Gateway.

It is so beautiful and truly reminds me of how I felt before I realized that God IS my shield and EXCEEDING great REWARD.

As I watched my children and grandchildren play at Kiroli Park (Patrick’s Birthday Party) and thought fondly of those who could not be there to enjoy the day, I realized how richly blessed I am.

So as the song says: Count your blessings, Name them one by one…

Allen,
Melissa
Holly,
AJ,
Tommy,
Jackie Leon,
Sandy,
Matt,
Sarah,
Zelma,
my parents and grand parents, my children’s children and their significant others, past and present…