Servants, Maids And Pets - Lawrence

This week, I made a miscalculation about how much dry cat food I had until the next shopping day. Consequently, I ran out of this food two days before I was to go into town. For people who live in the city this would not pose a problem but for those of us who live in a rural area with no bus service and no car, it means waiting until someone can give us a ride.

For two days, I was constantly followed around—I might even say stalked—wherever I went. The cats’ eyes were on me when I went to the cupboard for a dish; if I got up from my chair the cats got up immediately to see if I would somehow produce a bag of cat kibble.

It was not that they were without food altogether—I gave them extra canned cat food throughout the two days, but they missed their dishes of hard food from which they normally grazed anytime they so desired; and they couldn’t understand why they had been cut off from this supply.

I was put in mind of the psalm verses: To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us. Psalm 123:1, 2. N.R.S.V.

I am not saying, of course, that God makes miscalculations in His dealings with us, but that when we face problems in our lives we look to God for solutions as our pets look to us in their times of need. My cats became very anxious while I was unable to provide them with their usual food—they only knew that they were without and that I was not providing for them.

We, too, may become anxious when sickness, need or loss occurs in our lives. We know, however, from past experience that difficult times provide opportunities for us to grow in faith and that God has not forgotten us but will see us through our times of struggle just as we will see our pets through whatever happens to them.
© Judith Lawrence

Author of Glorious Autumn Days: Meditations for the Wisdom Years; and Grapes From The Vine, Book of Mystical Poetry. Both available at www.lulu.com
Author of Prayer Companion: A Treasury of Personal Meditation, available at Chapters and www.pathbooks.com
Web Site: www.judithlawrence.ca