"Though my father and mother
forsake me, the Lord will receive me."
(Psalms
27:10
NIV)
There is an ingrained enmity between dogs and cats.
Take my dog, Salida, for example. When she goes for a visit at my
mother-in-law's house, she tries very hard to befriend the two resident cats.
But when her efforts only result in hisses and snarls, she gets discouraged and
feels rejected.
The day we brought Roxy, our ragdoll kitten home,
Salida didn't feel that same enmity she had experienced from former cats. Yes,
at first our cat was a bit intimidated by her big canine sister, but they soon
became close buddies.
When going for a walk, Roxy insists to be treated like
the dog. She walks on a leash beside the dog, and even relieves herself on the
side of the road, just like her canine sister. She even plays with Salida. Take
the day, for example, that she jumped on Salida's back while she was sleeping.
The startled dog jumped up and ran, with Roxy lopping along under her belly.
Then Salida turned to see what had fallen on her, but she couldn't figure it
out, because Roxy was standing right under her. You could almost see the twinkle
in the kitten's eye.
Our cat loves our dog unconditionally. Both peace and
acceptance are possible in this world, but only when we are loved without
reservation.
Even amidst serious turmoil, I can keep on smiling,
for my Best Friend, Jesus Christ, has accepted me unconditionally. I, too, have
experienced rejection in my life, and there has been only One who has reached
out to me and accepted me for who I am
without reservation. In fact He willingly died
on a cross for me so that I could experience such joy and freedom. I have been
accepted by the Most High! Yahoo!
P. S. My canine friend, Salida, is also delighted that
she has been accepted by her arch enemy: a feline named Roxy with unusual
attributes.
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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