The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: CAT (11/08/18)
I struggled with frustration over not being able to give God something of value, something I hadn’t received from Him as a gift. How could I adequately thank Him for His many blessings, His love? No one seemed to understand this uneasiness I found hard to explain.

I was like a child wanting to give daddy a present that had been bought with my hard-earned money, but not with money he had given me to buy presents. My full heart wanted to give Him something I created — all on my own.

I wanted to give God pleasure but I didn’t know how. I paced and prowled. I was like a cat, looking for a mouse to present to my Master — as though a mouse would be better than a “filthy rag”!

But how could I allow myself to keep receiving from God without giving an equal gift in return? Ah-hah, pride had defiled my so-called love. Well, God has His ways of speaking to my spirit and this is what I heard loud and clear. I AM the Giver and you are the Receiver.

God mercifully gave me a glorious mental image of pleasure— of both giving and receiving. Picture this. A cat lying on her back in a pool of sunlight, tummy exposed, a gentle purr vibrating her body, eyes closed, drinking in the warmth and light being poured down upon her by her Creator.

At last, I understood what gives my Father God pleasure. Finally, I am free to humbly receive His gifts with my heart at rest. Like a cat glorying in the sun, I bask in the warmth of His presence as the Lord breathes His Spirit into my wide open heart and makes His face shine upon me. I joyfully accept my role as the Receiver from the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

I am not a lover of cats so I find it especially humorous that God used a cat parable to open my heart. And I have to laugh out loud at a particular gift I occasionally receive at this time of year. The sun is lower in the sky. My cottage is surrounded by tall arborvitae and two-story houses so I don’t have sun in my yard for a few months. But if the sun breaks through the clouds mid-afternoon, for an hour or two it fills my kitchen and dining room with warm rays of light. I’ve been known to lay down a mat and take a nap, right there, almost purring with pleasure, drinking in the sunshine of my Father’s face.


I Corinthians 4:7; James 1:17; Isaiah 64:6; John 20:22; Numbers 6:24-26
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 727 times
Member Comments
Member
Date