I have a cat named Mama. She’s beautiful, independent, loving, and asthmatic. She has a way of getting her point across, even if it’s at 2:00 in the morning. After which, I usually get my point across by locking her in the laundry room.
Anyway, she was meant to be in my life and a part of this family. In fact, I didn’t choose her; she chose me.
You see, I was in our small apartment bathroom one morning when I prayed, “Lord, please give me a pet.” It was a simple request, but I made sure not to specify what kind of pet. This is because I had attempted pet ownership once and failed miserably by choosing a beautiful, white labrador puppy. Apparently, I wasn’t capable of appropriately matching my wants to the pet’s needs. (I wanted a sweet, mild mannered puppy and she needed a tranquilizer gun. Seriously, Rinny made Marley look like a saint.) So, rather than take the chance of adopting another ill-suited animal, I asked God to pick for me.
About two weeks later, Tyler and I decided to go for an early morning walk. We reached the end of our complex and rounded the corner, setting our sights on the side street ahead. It was dark, peaceful, and quiet. Then, I heard a faint cry. I stopped, startled at the thought of what it could be. I heard it again, only this time a little louder. And again, even louder. I turned and noticed a small, brown cat running toward me. (For those of you familiar with stray cat behavior, this is completely out of character. Cats tend to run away from strangers, not chase them down in dark alleys.) I was cautious not to touch her, but I wanted to feed the kitty in distress. So, I led the poor thing back to my apartment, where she ate on my front porch.
That same day, I bought cat food at Walmart for any future alley cats that might track me down. I wasn’t expecting that particular kitty to come back, but sure enough, she did. Only this time, she brought her babies. That’s right. She wasn’t just a desperate alley cat, she was a desperate mama cat, and, somehow, she instinctively knew she could trust me not to harm her precious offspring. Night after night, I left food on my porch and watched through the window. Each time, she would selflessly stand back as her four youngin’s devoured the food she so desperately needed. So, I let her in my apartment and gave her a can of her own. Weeks passed, and Tyler mentioned taking in one of the kittens. It was too late; I had already fallen hopelessly in love with Mama cat. So when her babies weaned, the desperate alley cat became my sassy house cat with a serious obsession with Fancy Feast.
I love Mama. Despite the not-so-enjoyable aspects of having her in my home (kitty litter, cat hair, and routine vet visits for asthma control), I know and am fully convinced that she is a blessing and an answer to prayer.
One day, I shared this story with an old friend from high school. When I got to the part about praying for a pet, she patronizingly replied, “You prayed for a pet? Aw…that’s so sweet. Like a little kid.” She certainly didn’t mean any harm by her comment. She is a kind, fun-loving, Christian woman. Nevertheless, her response jarred me.
Is God confined to the super spiritual? Are their subjects we shouldn’t pray about? Should we only “bother” Him about big, important stuff?
You see, religion convinces us that God is way up there and we’re way down here. But, my Bible says that God loved us all so much that He chose to come down here. He tore the veil that separated us from His presence, and He conquered sin so we could enjoy fellowship with Him. If we can talk to our buddies about it, we can talk to God about it. He knows us, He loves us, and He’s waiting with open arms and open ears. Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.”
So, let me ask some serious questions. Are you juggling the small stuff, convinced that God is either too big or too busy to be hassled with helping? Do you fail to ask, simply because you think He’s not interested?
We should all be reminded from time to time that our Maker is not only interested, He’s completely invested. He’s made a commitment to care about whatever concerns us, and He’s invited us to pray about anything and everything, pets included. So, let’s take Him up on His offer. Don’t wait. Do it meow.
“When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4 (AMP)
