Lost and found

This morning's sermon was about the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus used stories a lot to reveal deeper truths. I suppose it depends on your personality but I love pondering over a good metaphor/analagy and find that is the way Jesus usually speaks to me as opposed to giving me the literal facts.

It happened to me a few weeks ago when my cat escaped through a window a friend had left open. Cookie is a house cat - he's not streetwise at all. I called my friend across the road and she brought her boys out to look. It was dark. We eventually caught sight of Cookie, sitting about 500 yards away from my flat in the communal gardens. As soon as we called his name he got startled and darted down the dark alley and nobody could catch up with him.

I thanked everyone and suggested we just have to leave him to find his own way back.

My friend came back to my flat with me which felt strangely empty without him, she made us a cuppa, I surprised myself how upset I was feeling, I never thought I'd love a cat (I'm a dog person!) and my friend said she was "feeling sad and it wasn't even her cat." Now he'd gone.

"Six months ago I chose Cookie, now it's Cookie's chance to decide whether or not he wants to live with me."

I left my window open with my old t shirt I kept in his bed hoping the scent would follow in the wind. Unable to sleep I got up to get a drink and was overjoyed when walking towards the lounge  door which was open ajar to see a ginger tail with a white tip. Cookie had returned, this was home for him.

The feeling of seeing him back made me see something of God more clearly. If someone had caught him put him in a box and brought him to my door I would have been happy but having him come back on his own accord was just so special and reassuring.

When God made us humans he wanted a true relationship with us but in order to do that he had to give us the freewill to go our own way, he wants us to chose him (even though he first chose and adopted us), For me, the experience of some of the dark results of the selfish ways humanity has caused and made me realise, heaven is my real home and that's why I try hard to follow Jesus.

Cookie safely at home asleep in his bed

We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)