TGIF
If you have a cat, you know the one thing that strikes terror in the heart of a feline.
A closed bathroom door.
Despite the fact that they have seen you safely enter and leave the bathroom thousands of times, they still evidence fear and separation anxiety every time you close that door.
This morning, Chester managed to pop the door open and burst into the shower with me.
He burst back out as quickly.
Chastened and wet, he observed the rest of the proceedings from on top the toilet.
While I found this to be somewhat amusing, I probably shouldn’t mock him.
I have my my own fears and I am always on the verge of separation anxiety of a different sort.
Sometimes…a lot of times…I think God has shut himself away or gone away, period.
Now, I know this is irrational, but, like my cats, I never seem to overcome the problem.
The only remedy is to constantly remind ourselves (and each other) that not only has He not gone away, Jesus is the door and we have complete access to God through Him.
“This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”
(Ephesians 3:11–13 ESV)
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:15–16 ESV)
You don’t have to stand outside a closed door and howl the song of your people or try to bust in by force…heaven is always open to those who want to be with their Master.
The problem is that most of us don’t want to be with Him as much as my cats want to be with me in the bathroom…
Make your own application…
Michael, thanks for , once again, reminding us of where we stand with the Father. Your installations of The Feline Gospel spread hope across the blog…….(trying to decide if a winky face works here or not…)
I’ve experienced that the irrational closed door fear applies to small children as well.
Thanks, Owen.
If the cats don’t provide blog fodder, i’m in trouble… 🙂
Hello Michael,
Me Ron…yeah that one from Minnesota. The one who has been at times been less than graceful to you and others on your Forum, recently about Luther. For alot of reasons I am sorry for my childish and churlish tone. I apologize to you and others for my lack of love towards those that confess Christ as their Lord and Savior.
I have studied several of my favorite Reformer’s Edwards and Owens to name a few, and some current one as well. One of the things I am learning is that people who I have been fed by, whether it is the names I mentioned, and those that I have not, well known names, and some just those who I am in relation to as my overseers and pastors, is that I at times scratch my head, as to why they think and act in certain ways…and make it public. I am sure many in fact, have scratched their head regarding my actions and words.
I am frustrated, as to how WE can be so seemingly enlightened in alot of ways, and yet, we can be so blind, full of attitudes and thoughts and actions that are so contradictory to being men and women who have been GIVEN the Spirit.
I understand the feeling that at times I am one more lustful thought, one more hypocritical comment, one more second glance, one more “whatever” from being lost, and not just a thought of today, but eternally. May be some don’t resound with this, but I can’t help but wonder how I can be really HIS, and still struggle so mightly, and at times, with such intent.
So what to do?? Is the old adage..eat the meat, and throw away the bones a good, and godly piece of advice? Do I just let those authors and pastors whom have SHOWN me, words which have breathed life of His Sovereign election of this contentious arrogant jerk, sit on my shelf, because of their sin and shortcomings? Everytime, and maybe it’s a lesson I need to learn that man will surely confuse and disappointment me. Is it because I really want to afford men like Luther grace. I can’t imagine, what toil and hardship what questioning of himself, the motives that he questioned, the abiding sin he still struggles with…and YET, God seems to have worked in and through him despite his sin and shortcomings. Maybe he can still use me perhaps.
Please forgive me if this rambled..I composed this as I thought without editing myself….
For some reason, God hides Himself and seems to value the seeking. There is something, as insecure and doubtful as I am, that won’t let me rest and give up the search.
“Ask, and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened.”
Thank you for this good story.
Ron,
Thank you for engaging with us…you’re not the only one who gets chippy at times.
I’m the head chipper. 🙂
God only has sinners to use and He has always used some great sinners mightily…
Thank you Michael..and Joel, and I concur, I myself still find myself asking, seeking, pounding to pursue, at various levels and with a feeble will and mind as well.
And yeah…the “cat thing.” Our mackarel tabby is at times utterly aloof, sits in his carpeted tower, glaring down at his minions, but, try and have some privacy in the bathroom, and the paw under the door insisting to be let in and wants attention is something I can’t quite grasp…
Reading here this morning I think I’ve had an ‘aha’ moment… ?
In prayer, in praying, do we try to “reach'” God? I think, attitudanly, that is my focus…
But doesn’t Jesus tell us that He is standing at the door wanting to come in and commune with us? Now I’ve got a pathetic mental picture: I open the door, He’s standing there and I treat Him like a door to door salesman… I block the entrance and I am the one doing all the talking…
Too much pop psychology, I guess… dunno
The two cats that I am forced to live with don’t come near the bathroom door. But I did drive down the hill (kinda fast) and 3 blocks down the street with Axle on the roof of the car…
The picture of a determined And devoted wet cat sitting on the commode waiting for Michael to come to his senses and get out of the rain is truly funny… I hope s merciful God laughs at us at times, too
Ron keep asking, seeking and pounding. Don’t ever give up. To paraphrase a thought from a book I’m reading (Misfit Faith), its better to suck at something Good than be good at something that sucks…. or something like that. 😉
Oh you have described our Scooter perfectly, however, it’s not our time in the shower that he is interested in being a part of. I love my kitty laying down at my feet…but not there! What the heck! Anyway – as always, I love how Miss Kitty and now Chester, through your words and observations, show us and point us to Jesus!
I love this so much. Amen. Thank you!
Those of us who were latch key kids with no father in the home and a mother who always had to work, separation and alienation from God is a real thing in our minds to contend with.
We have a tendency to project onto a God the experience we had or did not have with our own fathers.
It is a weird thing because we have no problem believing that God is close at hand for others, but not us.
We know it is not the truth but it does come into our thinking now and then.
We just don’t sign for it, we windshield wiper it and acknowledge the truth.