I will make you my promised
bride forever. I will be good
and fair; I will show you my
love and mercy.
Hosea 2:19

For all it’s peculiarities and unevenness, the Bible has a simple
story. God made man. Man rejected God. God won’t give up
until he wins him back.

God will whisper. He will shout. He will touch and tug. He will
take away our burdens; He’ll even take away our blessings.
If there are a thousand steps between us and Him, He will take
all but one. But he will leave the final one for us. The choice is
ours.

Please understand. His goal is not to make you happy. His goal
is to make you his. His goal is not to get you what you want; it’s
to get you what you need.

Max Lucado
(A Gentle Thunder)