{"id":494,"date":"2010-01-01T16:09:00","date_gmt":"2010-01-01T23:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.195.124.95\/~redletu4\/the-hound-of-heaven-never-quits-so-why-should-i\/"},"modified":"2010-01-01T16:09:00","modified_gmt":"2010-01-01T23:09:00","slug":"the-hound-of-heaven-never-quits-so-why-should-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/the-hound-of-heaven-never-quits-so-why-should-i\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hound of Heaven never quits, so why should I?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Francis Thompson<\/a> was a brilliant man. Born to successful parents, he first studied for the priesthood then later earned a medical degree. His mind was engaging and captivating. He could write the most beautiful verse that touched on many hearts.<\/p>\n

He was also an opium addict.<\/p>\n

You see, despite his privilege, his education and his ticket to wealth, his addiction forced him to the streets and he took to selling matches and newspapers for a living. He lived in filth and destitution. He was a tortured soul.\n<\/div>\n

<\/a>
And he was on the run from God. His most famous work, The Hound of Heaven<\/a><\/i>, tells the story:<\/p>\n

\u201cI fled Him, down the nights and down the days<\/span><\/span><\/i>
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;<\/span><\/i>
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways Of my own mind<\/span><\/i>
and in the mist of tears I hid from Him\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

Thompson was haunted by the story of Jacob. Exodus tells the story of a dream that Jacob had one night, of a ladder perched between heaven and earth with God Himself at the top of the ladder. When Jacob awoke from the dream he said, \u201cSurely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.\u201d <\/i><\/p>\n

God shows up in places we don\u2019t expect him, places we weren\u2019t even aware. He beckons. He calls us by name. His pursuit never quits.<\/p>\n

Thompson eventually turned to Jesus and found a sweet surrender.
Rise, clasp My hand, and come! <\/span><\/i>
Halts by me that footfall. <\/span><\/i>
I<\/i>s my gloom, after all, Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly ? <\/i><\/span><\/span>
Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest, I am He Whom thou seekest ! <\/span><\/i>
T<\/i>hou dravest love from thee, who dravest me.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

People have given up on me in the past \u2014 those who I never thought would quit, did. And this has made me to reflect. Am I a quitter too? Have I given up on people at work, in my neighborhood and in my family. God didn\u2019t give up on me. What gives me the right to give up on them?<\/p>\n

What do you think? <\/i>
Comment here.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

\n\"Reblog<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
Please, share with a friend if you feel moved.
\nRead all past issues at http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Francis Thompson was a brilliant man. Born to successful parents, he first studied for the priesthood then later earned a medical degree. His mind was engaging and captivating. He could write the most beautiful verse that touched on many hearts. He was also an opium addict. You see, despite his privilege, his education and his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2375,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[308,407],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-francis-thompson","category-hound-of-heaven"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Hound of Heaven never quits, so why should I?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Francis Thompson was a brilliant man. Born to successful parents, he first studied for the priesthood then later earned a medical degree. 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