I was watching my cat yesterday, sitting in the window sill, enjoying the breeze coming in from the open, screened in window, but at the same time – longing to be outside – to be chasing the birds she would see in the yard, to be running around in the grass - nibbling on it, exploring, tasting, smelling, chasing, crouching, playing (with other cats), running – free! I could tell it was driving her crazy to be inside – especially with the windows open! It looked liked torture –to be able to not only see the outside world (now that the blinds were open), but to be able to smell, feel and experience just a little bit of what lay outside – but to be stuck inside! She longs to be outside so much, that she will hide out by the door, crouching and waiting for someone to open it so that she can make a mad dash to try and escape – to be free!I then thought about the last cat we had. She had been a stray – abandoned and left on her own as a kitten. We found her at about 5 months old – barely skin and bones, dirty, covered in ticks. We took her in, cleaned her up, loved on her, fed her (till she was fat!), and more. However, she still remained traumatized. She was full of anxiety and fear – of noises, of us - if we moved to fast, if we tried to pet her when she wasn’t expecting it, or even if we tried to pick her up. But one thing that frightened her the most, was going and being stuck outside. She would be curious – looking out a closed or screened-in window. She would occasionally try to venture outside, very slowly, smelling, testing, watching to see if it was safe . . . but all the while, still very nervous and unsure of herself and of the outside world. Once, she had ventured outside as I was bringing in the groceries. I didn’t see that she had gone out. When I was done, I closed our sliding glass door and started heading towards the kitchen. As I turned, I saw our cat anxiously run to the door and start clawing at the window, pacing and meowing a fearful cry. I opened the door and she bolted in. She had been so afraid that she was going to be stuck outside.
Cats were designed and created to be outside – to be hunters. We see this in most big cats (Lions and Tigers, etc) – out in the wild, free, hunting their prey, enjoying the sun and wind, the shade and stillness of the day, playing with each other, running . . . free. Housecats were designed the same – only on a smaller scale. We have tamed them, raised some by hand, loved on them, taught them to use a litter box, and made them pets, but deep inside – they still know they are hunters, that they have been designed to be outside – to be free – to be chasing birds, squirrels and rabbits. If we allow them to go outside – they will do just that. If we keep them indoors, they may long for the outside, but they will eventually become accustomed to indoor living – to being taken care of, and to being fed (instead of having to hunt for their food). Animals in captivity can become so accustomed to living this way and being taken care of, that if you tried to let them loose in the wild, they would starve to death – not knowing how to hunt for their food and to really live in the wild. Some animals might actually prefer to remain indoors (or in captivity) because of traumatic events/memories of being out in the wild (as seemed the case with our last cat).
What has God designed me to be? What has he designed me to do? Who am I really? What am I capable of? Have I been in “captivity” so long, that I don’t know? Do I still feel like a slave/servant in my relationship with God? Or do I know my true identity – my position as a daughter of the Lord of glory, the King of kings, the creator of this universe? Do I know that I was not only designed to run free – to chase, to explore, to do great things, to enjoy the sun and shade, the wind and calm, to enjoy relationships and “playing” with others – but that I actually have the freedom to do just that?! I do! How about you?
God has been graciously revealing more of Himself, more of who I am, more of what I was designed to do and be, more of my identity – as royalty – a royal priest (and princess), and not a sinner any longer. I am no longer dirty, starving and covered in ticks! I have been brought into his house and lovingly restored – but not so that I will remain in His house as a servant or as a slave – but so that I could be adopted – as His daughter! I have full access to EVERYTHING my Father has – to ALL of His kingdom! It is mine to enjoy – to run free, to experience, to explore, to have fun in! I love that! I love it that God didn’t save me and bring me into His home to just clean me off to make me His servant. He rescued, saved, cleaned, and restored me – and ADOPTED ME! Little ole me . . . is a Princess now! ☺ Woo-hoo!
I also love it how He didn’t just bring me into His kingdom to keep me here either – to keep me “indoors”. He brought me in, to love me, clean me off, feed me and restore me – so that I could then be free to go back outside at any time – to go enjoy all of this life He gave me – to reach out to others still stuck outside and help them come home, to be adopted, cleaned up, fed and restored. Yes – we were created as eternal beings – to live forever with God in heaven one day, but we were also designed and created to live on this earth – not to live here, afraid, full of anxiety (What if we get dirty? What if we get “ticks” or get sick? What if we mess up, or can’t find food, or meet an enemy bigger than us?) – but to live in freedom – running, exploring, laughing, enjoying the company of others, hunting (finding food), fighting off our enemies with victory, and so much more!
We were intricately and lovingly designed this way. But too many of us don’t know it. We are comfortable just being fed, being taken care of, being “indoors”. Life “outside” is just too scary and unpredictable. Yes it is – unpredictable . . . . but it is so full of adventure! ☺
Then there are some who have lived outside for so long – enjoying the freedom, but not realizing the benefits of having a home to go to – when it rains, when you are tired, when you need some support, love, encouragement and more. These people have never been adopted into God’s family – and to them – it looks restrictive and boring. To them it looks like they would have to give up the fun and freedom, and become something else – become a servant/slave, stuck “indoors”. What they don’t know, is that if they truly came in and met their creator – and realized that they were being adopted, cleaned up, fed, restored – they would ultimately be set free . . . more free than they had ever been before! Then they could go outside and not worry if they couldn’t find food – their Father would have some waiting at home for them! They wouldn’t have to worry about shelter or other basic needs to be met. They wouldn’t even have to worry about enemies – because one cry from their lips would bring their Daddy running!
Being adopted into God’s house is not about living under the law (rules, policies, should’s and should-not’s) – but it’s all about living under grace and love! It’s about being free to live in a loving environment, in a loving relationship, where all our needs are met, but where we have the freedom to also be who we were designed to be – every part of us! When you know WHOSE you are . . . then you know WHO you are! And I, for one, am a child of GOD – forgiven, cleansed, restored and set free! . . . .
Me-ow! ☺
L:)
If you would like to know more about just who you are - and see if your perception of your identity is more of a pauper or more of a prince - go to Kris Vallotton's website for an online test. You might be surprised! I know if I had taken this test even just a couple years ago - my score/answers would have been drastically different!
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