Learning From a Cat

We seem to have acquired a cat. Last year this cat wandered to our place and has been wandering in and out of our lives ever since.

She has always been very leery of us till a couple months back. That was the first time I was able to touch her. It took a lot of time…coaxing, leaving food and just talking to her every time she was within sight.

My husband started calling her Blackie, for obvious reasons, but for me I still just call her Cat. She seems to know both names.

Cat loves to sun on our deck in the mornings but runs for cover the minute we open the patio door. It is a different story when we open the door to the garage. Once that door opens she waits for us to come out. I have not yet, figured out why we are so scary when we come out a different door. I have a feeling it is because she expects leftover food from the garage and is not certain what to expect from the patio door.

She has been teaching me a lot of lessons during this time of uncertainty. Her relationship with me kind of reminds me of our relationship with God. We know He is good and only wants what is best for us.

We can get just close enough for Him to touch us….but can get very uncomfortable when He tries to pick us up and carry us. Cat will only let me pet her. When I try draw her close and pick her up she gets nervous and fidgety and wiggles till I let her down.

I have a feeling there are a lot of us; that are like that cat. We really want to be held close to the heart of our Maker but fear holds us back. We cannot imagine that we are loved so much that He wants us that close.

Fear has a way of stealing our joy, stealing our lives and keeping us from realizing an amazing closeness with our Maker and with those we love. It has a way of keeping us from experiencing grace and giving grace.

We are in a time of great uncertainty.  We might be acting a lot like the cat. Perhaps we should step out in trust….perhaps we need to give over control and let ourselves be held close. Perhaps we need to just accept grace and give it in return.

Maybe, just maybe, we need to get beyond waiting at the garage door for leftovers and sit by the patio door and wait for the really good stuff.

May this find you safe, healthy and trusting.  May this find you waiting by the patio door, in faith and hopeful expectation that life will be good because God is good.

Grace is not reserved for good people;
grace underscores the goodness of God.

Andy Stanley