“Is anyone following you?” That phrase is often heard in crime dramas but rarely a part of our ordinary lives. I have this question for you: “Is goodness following you?” I have been pondering how I am being followed all of the time because I am pursued by goodness.
Note about the image: This is Oscar in my desk chair wondering why I am not sitting with him.
My Mysterious Mind
I’ve had a song on my mind this week, specifically the phrase: “Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me.” The lyrics speak of God’s faithfulness through all my days, through the fire, and the darkest night. I heard this song on Sunday morning and it played in my mind that afternoon as I rested on the couch, Oscar at my side.
Then it hit me – I should have named him Goodness instead of Oscar because he is always running after me, no matter where I go. He is next to me as I write this. His usual spot is in the small of my back, in the space behind me, as I sit on the front edge of my desk chair. We have a routine now; when I go into my home office and he follows me, he jumps on the bed, I roll my chair near the side of the bed, and he crawls into the space behind my back. He is companion and back-warmer for my times of writing and answering email. Smudgie, our puggle, follows me, too, but mostly only when she suspects I will be leaving a trail of snacks.
Oscar is goodness running after me, reminding me of how much I am loved. And he isn’t the only form of goodness following me. On Tuesday, there was a faculty recognition event, one that used to include recognition of the retirees but now does not. Instead, retiring faculty and staff are celebrated in a private event once a year. It was the best steak dinner I have ever eaten but it wasn’t the same as a celebration surrounded by colleagues and friends. One of those friends sought me out to sit with me at the recognition event, her goodness running after me. Afterwards, when we were separated because I went to talk to some other friends, she called and texted to find me back. We reconnected in the parking lot; she quickly exited her car to give me a hug – her way of celebrating my retirement. If she hadn’t found me then she would probably have chased me down until she did.
Wednesday I went to lunch with two dear staff members who wanted to celebrate my leaving. I was given the most adorable bouquet of flowers and one of them insisted on paying for my meal. Her goodness pursued me as I reluctantly allowed her to cover the price of my lunch. We made plans to have lunch once a month because our friendship is a part of what makes life good.
A few minutes ago I got a phone call from a colleague. She wanted to know my availability for lunch as she plans to get some of the colleagues from my former department together to celebrate my retirement. She recognized the lack of a retirement event as a wrong that she and others would like to correct. I’ve turned in my grades for my last semester but the goodness of my colleagues is running after me as a leave.
All my life God has been faithful. All my life He has been oh, so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God. That goodness is running after me every day in the form of Oscar and numerous friends. When I am around my grand-kids, goodness runs after me, calling out “Grandma!” This morning, goodness, in the form of my husband, presented me with an early Mother’s Day present – a beautiful hanging basket of one of my favorite flowers. Oh, so much goodness is running after me!
Message from Mystery Acres
How does goodness follow me in the forest? Oh, so many ways! Sometimes it’s the sound of the wind in the trees, inviting me to stop and listen. Often, goodness follows me in the form of Oscar and Smudgie, our two dogs, who love to tag along; they whine and bark if left behind. No matter where I go, they try to follow, even if I am going in and out of the motor-home. I admit, this kind of “being followed” can be annoying.
Mystery Acres was Ollie’s favorite place to be. He was content to lie on a blanket for hours, just watching the forest, smelling its wonders, and listening to sounds of life. He very much enjoyed taking walks, but didn’t whine and bark as I wandered around without him. I miss his ever-present goodness, calmly enjoying the forest without having to be right next to me.
Oscar is a more invasive form of goodness than Ollie. His favorite spot is always right next to me or on my lap, even in a lawn chair. I do try not to be annoyed, but it’s hard. He wants to be wherever I am, reminding me of those song lyrics, “just like me, they long to be close to you.” That is a love song, and Oscar is one of its verses, to be sure.
The message of Mystery Acres is a message of being pursued by goodness. What loves us, follows us. To be followed by goodness is to be pursued by love. And that is a very good thing, even when it might seem annoying.
Ancient Mystery’s Voice
“Goodness follows me every day.” (see Psalm 23: 6)
The book of Psalms contains a rich tapestry of readings for the myriad of life’s seasons. One favorite for many, Psalm 23, is a multipurpose, every day, any day poem. The famous words, “The Lord is my Shepherd” start the six verses. The first word of the last verse is typically translated as “surely” or “certainly,” with the next phrase speaking to the pursuit of goodness.
When I think of “being followed,” it typically brings up images from crime dramas, one person trying to secretly, or not so secretly, chase another. It might be the criminal chasing the next victim, or it could be the cops pursuing a suspect. In either case, the scene is a tense one, not a relaxed one. The tone of Psalm 23 doesn’t fit this imagery, especially since what is doing the following is goodness.
Goodness is definitely following me every day, but do I let it catch me? The other verses in this beloved Psalm speak of refreshment, protection, and provision. These are forms of goodness pursuing me. Do I stop and receive any of it, or do I just keep moving?
The older, and hopefully wiser, I get, the more I realize how much better life is when I am not in constant motion. Goodness is following me every day in multiple ways. My life is enriched by letting it catch me.
Living in Mystery
What does it mean to live in the mystery of being followed, pursued by goodness? First, and probably most important, is to notice when it is happening. Sadly, we often shuffle through a day, unaware of the goodness pursuing us. Or, even worse, seeing what is chasing us as an annoyance.
As an old mom to young parents, I encourage you to cherish the pursuit of the small children in your world. Many a mom has complained about being unable to use the bathroom alone or having the bed to herself. I saw a funny meme with a mom inside of a large dog cage, having a private snack, the dog and her children trying to get to her. I remember feeling like that, in what seems a lifetime ago. I remember sitting in church with a small child wanting to take a nap on my lap, long after my husband thought they had become too old to so obviously sleep in church. Those goodness moments are etched deeply in my heart and mind; I can almost feel the sweet warmth of my sleeping child. If you still have goodness running after you in the form of small children, embrace it while you still can. These days I have Oscar following me into the bathroom.
Goodness might be pursuing you in other ways than dogs or children. Do you have friends who are eager to spend time with you? Notice the goodness running after you in the form of people who want to invest some of their limited time into your life. At work, when a colleague interrupts your focus by stopping by to visit, recognize the goodness pursuing you in the moment. Work can wait until goodness has moved past you.
The second essential part of living in the mystery of being pursued by goodness is to let it catch you. Instead of running away from goodness when it pursues you, pause and embrace it. Sometimes I sit on the couch just so Oscar can stop following me. He and I both enjoy some rest. I miss those days of being followed by a small child, even into the bathroom. Rather than being annoyed when a coworker stops by my office, I turn away from my work and invite them to sit down for a minute. My day is always better for inviting goodness to spend time with me.
Last week a colleague took me to lunch to quietly celebrate my upcoming retirement. His first question to me after we settled into our table was, “What are you going to miss the most?” I told him that most of what I loved was already gone and the things that weren’t I could take with me. The friendships I have made are some of the goodness in my life; I will happily bring that with me. Thankfully, most of those people are eager to “follow” me past retirement and preserve our friendships.
Living in the mystery of being pursued by goodness means slowing down to notice it, pausing to let it catch you, and gratefully absorbing its love and joy into your heart. Where is goodness running after you? Let it catch you as often as possible.
Connecting With Mystery
Dear Lord of All Mystery, thank You for following me with Your goodness every day of my life. Help me to recognize the ways that goodness pursues me and to stop to enjoy it. Forgive me for too often rushing around and not experiencing the blessings You send. Thank You for never giving up on Your pursuit of me with Your love. Amen.
Notes from Dr. Mac
If you want to do your own investigation of any of the scriptures I use, I suggest you go to Bible Gateway. This free online version of the Bible allows a search of words or phrases in various translations. You might enjoy reading, or meditating on, Psalm 23. It doesn’t matter what kind of day you are having, there is always something applicable in these six verses.
You can find previous posts and podcasts in my ARCHIVE and organized compilations in the My “Books” section. You can also find Mystery’s Voice on Spotify.
Do you have thoughts to share? Please leave a comment below or through the Substack App, or email me privately at Dear Dr. Mac. I love to hear from you!
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