Lessons from Chester

When I lived in an apartment Riley and I had a following. Of cats! The strays loved Riley because she loved them and of course I had food with me. There were some days that I definitely felt God was teaching me something through these kitties. I thought I should write a book called "Lessons Learned from the Strays".

Last night, my sweet Chester and Rosie decided to be adventurous and pushed the screen out of the open window and went outside. I'm not sure how long they were out there but as I opened the front door they were just a little away from the house. Rosie turned around and jumped back in the window, but Chester headed toward the driveway and went under the car.

I went in and closed the window and headed back out to get him. I thought he would be scared but he would come right to me. I was wrong! He would not come out from under the car. I went in and got a bowl of food, he's a skinny boy, but he loves to eat, and set it under the car. He ignored it. I reached under and touched his paw. He moved farther under the car. I sat there and talked to him for a long time, but he wouldn't come out.

I tried everything I could think of. I tried to feed him. I tried to touch him. I tried to talk to him. I opened the window back up for him. I stayed up late and watched for him. But he didn't come back in. Then I felt God speak to me that He understood exactly what I was feeling.

He has all these children who He loves. They breakout of His care and venture out on "adventures". He gives them His Word for food, but they don't take it. He reaches out and touches them, but they pull back and move farther away from Him. He talks to them, but they ignore His voice. He opens up the door to coming back into His family, through His Son, but they won't come back in. He watches over them, always watches over them, and yet they say He isn't even there.

My pain over missing my sweet kitty is nothing compared to our Father's pain at seeing all of His children run away from Him. Thankfully, some of them actually turn back to Him and come back home. I am thankful that I did. I am thankful that He called me and I heard and came back inside to Him.