Object Lessons From My Cat

Our family cat, Beulah, is a nice cat. She is social and affectionate and she is a great hunter. She is a great mouser, which is most appreciated by us.🐭🐱 Beulah recently taught me some lessons about the Christian life, and I want to share them with you.

In a parable that Jesus told in which He referred to Himself as a Shepherd and to us as sheep, He said that His sheep hear His voice and that they know Him.( John 10:27 (KJV)https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-10-27/.) My cat, Beulah, knows that I am one of her owners. She knows that I care about her.

One day during these past two or three weeks, a large cat, so large that I wondered if it might be a bobcat, came to our back porch where Beulah commonly goes. I did not think that he meant my cat well. Beulah was just recovering from a large gash on one of her legs, and I begin to wonder if this large cat hadn't been the one who had given her the gash. I went out on the back porch, clapped my hands together and shouted, "GO!" The large stranger cat quickly jumped off of the porch and began to leave our yard. Beulah stayed put. She knows that she is our cat and that she belongs at our house. 

The stranger cat knows that it is not our cat and that it does not belong at our house.The stranger cat reminded me of the thief or robber in Jesus' parable. The thief or robber doesn't go through the door of the sheepfold: he climbs up and gets in in a sneaky way. (John 10:1https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-10-1/) 

Last Sabbath, Beulah was running toward the front porch where my family and I were sitting. The way she ran made her look so enormous that I mistook her for the stranger cat. As she approached the porch, I looked at her and shouted, "GO!" Beulah paid me no mind; she continued to approach the porch. When she reached the porch steps, I realized my mistake. I began to talk to her in a soothing voice and pet her. She appreciated the attention. Beulah knows that she is our cat and that she belongs at our house. 

Beulah is a nice cat. She knows that she is our cat and that she belongs at our house. However, whenever any cat disobeys its owner, its relationships with its owner changes. Every morning, my youngest sister opens the door of the laundry room where spends her nights, and escorts her through the back door onto the back porch. Some mornings, Beulah cheerfully runs out the back door, and onto the back porch. On other mornings, she gets a mischievous look in her eyes, and she tries to dash into the dining room, the living room, or into someone's bedroom. Beulah used to be a house cat, but she isn't anymore. She doesn't belong anywhere in the house, except for in the laundry room at night. I think that she knows this too.

This morning, my youngest sister opened the door of the laundry room and out came Beulah. This morning, Beulah dashed under the kitchen table. I was sitting in the recliner chair in the living room, and when someone called out and stated where she was, I looked at her, pointed a finger at her and sternly commanded her; "GO!" And you know what? She went.... and quickly. She scurried out from under the table, and dashed out the back door and onto the back porch.

It struck me: when Beulah is doing right, she is not always afraid of me-even when I raise my voice and speak sternly. However, when Beulah is doing wrong, my loud, stern voice is scary to her.

This incident reminds me of the different reactions that people will have when Jesus comes. I believe that those who are in love with Christ, and who have been living in obedience to Him will have the kind of reaction that is so beautifully stated in Isaiah 25:9 

"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. "https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-25-9/

However, those who have not loved Christ enough to be obedient to Him, and those who have not loved Him at all, will have a very different reaction to Him when He comes. 

"And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Revelation 6: 14-17 (KJV) https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-6/

Jesus is loving. He wants to save everyone, and He will save anyone who is willing to be saved from sin. In fact, the Bible says clearly that Jesus is a Savior. (Matthew 1:21 https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-1-21/)

However, in order to be in a saved state and to become truly loving to everyone, we must surrender to and cooperate with Jesus so that we can become changed people. It is a mockery when Christians live bad lives and yet still say that they are Christians. May the Lord help us all!

Jesus says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14: 15 (KJV) https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-14-15/ He also tells us that if we will keep His commandments, we will abide in His love: just as He keeps His Father's commandments and abides in His Father's love. 

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15: 9-10 (KJV) https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-15/

When Beulah is obedient, she can be happy and confident when with us. When Beulah is disobedient however, she cannot be happy and confident when with us.

It is the same with us in our relationship with God. When we walk in step with God and live a life of obedience to Him, we have no good reason to feel ashamed and uncomfortable in His presence. However, when we are living a life of disobedience to God, we will feel both ashamed and uncomfortable in His presence.

Should obeying God be a burdensome, unhappy experience? No; no not if we are in love with Jesus.

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15: 9-11 (KJV) https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-15/

I love it when Beulah feels all right because she is doing right, and I am sorry when she is uncomfortable because she is doing wrong.

Jesus loves it when we are happy and at peace because we are in a loving, surrendered, cooperative and obedient relationship with Him. He is very sad when we are sad, uneasy and restless because we are not in a loving, surrendered, cooperative and obedient relationship with Him.

Jesus is wonderful to love. His love cannot be compared to the love of anyone else. I have chosen Him. I hope that you have too. If you haven't, please do call out to Him and let Him know that you are sorry for your sins, and that if you aren't sorry, you are willing to be made sorry. Ask Him to live in your heart and to help you to walk with Him in a loving, surrendered, cooperative and obedient way. He will not refuse to listen to you and help you: no matter how terrible your life has been...even if everyone else around you scorns you and hates you....even if people admire you and think you could do no wrong, and yet you know that your heart needs to be changed.  Wherever you have been and whoever you are, Jesus loves you. :)

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Photo credit: (the cat in this photo isn't Beulah, but it somewhat resembles her. 😊)  https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-tabby-cat-2071882/