Lessons from a Cat

My Bedroom

For starters, I sort of really like cats...and no I am not a single, Cat Lady. I only own one, I promise. A couple of months ago, I heard a sermon on ants which is the inspiration for this post believe it or not. The speaker brought to my attention that God uses even animals we step on and take on walks to teach us important lessons. The speaker pointed out a couple of the verses in Proverbs regarding ants. Although small and seemingly insignificant, these creatures teach us a lot about working hard for the Lord alongside the Body of Christ.

{ Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief,

    officer, or ruler she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. Proverbs 6:6-7 }

{ Four things on earth are small but they are exceedingly wise, the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer. Proverbs 30:24-25 }

You have probably read the Proverb in which psalmist uses the a dog to illustrate man's tendency to go back to the same sin they had just repenting of......for the hundredth time. It's kind of a gross verse....both halves of the verse.

{ Like a dog that returns to his vomit, is a fool who repeats his folly. Proverbs 26:11 }

Anyways, you get the idea. God makes lots of examples out of lots of different animals. That being said, I thought I would draw some lessons from the cat. After all, I have been observing my new kitten with wonder for the past several weeks. Here is what I discovered.

Cats, like us, are easily pleased. As my new kitten was getting adjusted into my house by exploring every nook and cranny, I began to feel sorry for her. As an indoor cat, she has not been outside or breathed in fresh air in quite a while. So, I opened up a window right above my window seat for her. I assumed this would be her favorite spot. Like expected, she ran to the window to check out the great outdoors. But, to my surprise, she stopped just short of the window. Something had caught her eye...the draw string of the blinds was dangling directly in front of her nose. Naturally, she began to play with the string by moving it with her paws and biting it with her teeth. Little did she know, something even better than a piece of string was right in front of her....a scenic view full of birds and cars and trees and not to mention the fresh air that she can smell through the screen! What was she thinking?! 

This reminds me of one of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes

{ “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” C.S. Lewis }

We, too, get distracted by momentary pleasures. We exchange truth for a lie. We exchange blessing for a fleeting rush of happiness. We are too busy playing with a piece of string to bother with pursuing the God from whom all blessings flow. God of the universe promises us a life full of lasting joy when we walk in the light and abide in Him. God so desperately wants to give His Children good gifts. Have the faith to choose God over sin. 

{ You make known to me the path of life in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 }

{ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Galatians 5:22 }

{ And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11 }

 { By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. Hebrews 11:24-25 }

{ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 }

❊Question for the Comments❊

What is distracting you from a rich life with God? 

                                    

                                            The Girl Next Door