Libby and I have a cat, a wonderful cat who goes by the name of Keziah.
But Keziah is like all cats. She is demanding and self-centred, greedy and sometimes destructive. She is always after something. We get up in the morning and she is immediately asking for food. After she has eaten, she wants to be on my knee and for me to start petting her. Then she wants out. Then she wants in. Then she wants fed. Then she wants petted. Then she wants out. And so it goes on. She has even learned to beg like a dog for food. She is always after something, and if we ignore her she might resort to picking the carpet to bits with her claws.
Why do we do it? Why do we keep feeding her, petting her, letting her out, in, running after her? It seems that sometimes that is all we ever do. And why should we? I mean, she does nothing for us. When we need help, does she help? No! So why do we do it?
We do it because we delight in her. We do it because she brings us joy, because she is funny, because she is predictable, because we love her, even when she makes a mess!
And maybe I am not so very different from Keziah. I am always after something, often self-centred, greedy and sometimes destructive. In my case it is, in fact, worse, because I should know better – I am not an animal with an animal’s instincts. I am a human, with a human intellect. I am not a pet.
But God still loves me. He loves me, not because of what I do. He loves me even though I do what I do!
He loves me because he delights in me. He loves you because he delights in you too!
Thank you, Father God!