The Thrill of the Chase

Running as fast as a Cheetah in their fancy light up shoes, giggles echoed across the gym. Frozen in time for a moment, a smile on the tagger’s face and a disgruntled frown on the other, each student eager to continue to play the game. 

Did you play tag as a kid?

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• Absolutely!
• Nope!

I did.

There is something thrilling about being chased by someone, especially if we like the person chasing us. As elementary kids, it is simply a fun game to play that teaches a variety of lessons, but if we’re honest, it also helps get all the energy out of the Lil’ tikes. 

In our teenage years, we slow down and start to enjoy the pursuit of cute boys or being pursued by cute boys. When we finally capture their attention, we feel seen, sometimes heard, and loved. 

God Calls Us by Our Name

In my devotional, Kicking Fear to the Curb: 7 Days of Trusting God, I write that we can trust God because He calls us by name. Here is an excerpt from Day Six: Trust God Knows Your Name:

Oh, the days of junior high and the beginning of "love." I remember standing in awe, my face as red as a beet, as my best friend leaned in to whisper, "He likes you." She took a step back, looked at my face, and we both giggled. "You mean he knows my name?" I said, straining to get the words out. "Of course he does, silly!"

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel; ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 (ESV)

Isaiah states that we are not to fear because God has redeemed us. When God redeems us, He calls us by our name. He doesn’t call us by our sins. He doesn’t want us to walk around with our heads hanging in shame. God knows we are going to sin, yet He still loves us all the same and wants us to take comfort in knowing we are His children.

I stand in awe of His love for me. The little junior high girl who blushed so quickly at the thought of a quirky, awkward boy knowing her name now sits as a grown woman, humbled and realizes the only ONE whose love really matters knows my name.

Chased by Jesus

Just like the start of any relationship, we have to acknowledge that Jesus knows us, He knows our name. Whether we recognize it or not, He demonstrates his faithful love to us daily. He wants us to stop chasing worldly accolades and start chasing after Him. Pursue Him the way we pursued the cute boy we once hoped to win over.

The Hebrew word chesed means loving kindness, mercy, steadfast love, loyalty, and faithfulness. According to NAS Exhaustive Concordance, the NASB translation of chasad means to “show yourself kind.” These words remind me of the word chased. God proves himself faithful and kind time and time again. Jesus will meet us right where we are. He will leave the ninety-nine and come after us. He will prove His faithful love to us over and over again, but we have to be willing to allow Him to work on us and accept His gift of grace. 

“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)

I imagine the look on Jesus’s face is similar to that of the kid’s playing chase when we surrender to his love. He has a huge smile on His face as He not only tags us but scoops us up in His arms and whispers, you are mine. 

Do you know the love of the Father? 

Are you willing to be chased by the ONE who loves you the most?

Kimberlea Hardy, Kicking Fear to the Curb: 7 Days of Trusting God (self-published, 2025).