Lessons From Animals, Part 5:
The Prodigal Cat
"But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this
brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
(Luke 15:32 NIV)
My prodigal cat has returned! I found her meowing pitifully on my back porch
yesterday after a week of living on the wild side. I was pretty sure that
sooner or later the cold, November weather here would make her come home.
Right now she is sitting on my lap while I type this, skinnier but wiser,
gently rubbing her head on my arm and purring joyfully.
We first rescued our prodigal cat, Honey several years ago when she jumped
into our open car without being invited. It appears Honey was on the run
from several bigger and meaner cats at the time and was happy to find a pair
of protective arms to rest in. The tiny calico soon made herself right at
home too. Adjusting to an indoor life didn’t seem to bother her at all. She
was always first cat in the house to the bowl at feeding time and she loved
to nap all day on the nearest available lap. She nuzzled and purred with the
best of them too and was loved by all of us. This last year, however,
Honey’s wilder nature seemed to be calling to her. Several times she snuck
outside on us only to return back after realizing just how tough life is out
there. I am hoping that this latest outdoor romp is her last and that she
finally realizes that struggling to survive in the wild just can’t compare
to napping on her Dad’s lap.
My cat, however, isn’t the only one who has made this mistake. I think most
of us are prodigal children at some point in our lives. Just as in Jesus’
Parable we wander away from our Heavenly Father and waste our days on wild
living and foolish pursuits. Soon we find ourselves miserable, alone, and
just struggling to survive. We return home to our Father broken, repentant,
and hungry for His love again. Thankfully, God is always ready to forgive us
and welcome us back into His loving arms once more. There is no better or
more joyous place to be either, because it is the one place were we truly
belong.
By: Joseph J. Mazzella