El McMeen considers how his two cats relate to him and compares that to how people relate to God

We have two cats. They both came from the pound. The pedigree of each is suspect. Fritz is gray and white. Scotty is marmalade. Here they are, in deep contemplation.

I was looking at the cats this morning, about 5 AM, and I believe I may have gotten a revelation from the Lord on them--and me. And people and God. How about that!

For this little story, you must think of me as "God". If that offends or confounds you, then how about "Christ in me, the hope of glory"! That's biblical.

Think of the cats as people.

Fritz almost never looks into my eyes, and when he does, it's all kind of vague as if his mind is elsewhere. He is always focusing on my feet, my hands, my legs--whatever might be moving.

Fritz is very fearful around me. He is wary of my movements, even when I approach him to pet or groom him (which he likes), or when I go to feed him.

He has been like this from Day One in our house. My wife Sheila thinks he was abused by a former owner, although we don't have evidence of that.

Every morning he approaches me almost as if I were a stranger. I do take notice of his fears, and try to change my behavior so that I don't startle him. I am only partially successful.

The other cat Scotty is almost always looking into my eyes when he approaches me. He's not primarily focused on my hands and feet, although he is by no means oblivious to them. He seems to think that if he looks into my eyes, he can reach some conclusions about my heart and how I might act in the circumstances.

He has more peace than the other cat, even though he can't figure me out completely.

Isn't that a metaphor for the difference in how people approach God! We can look at things God's done-or that people may accuse Him of doing-and try to figure everything out that way. That's like Fritz trying to figure out what I'm about, by looking at feet, legs and arms. He can get something out of it; he's not always wrong. But he has no peace, because he's looking in the wrong places.

Scotty on the other hand seems drawn to find out about me by looking into my eyes.

How pertinent is that to the heart of God! The eyes are the windows to the heart, and by gazing into the eyes of our spiritual heavenly Father, we grow in knowledge of His nature. We gaze into those eyes through the life of Jesus, through revelation of the pain and power of the cross, through marveling at the majesty of the resurrection, and through the transformational power of the written word. Finally, we gaze into those eyes through the comfort, counsel, and supernatural power of Holy Spirit working in our lives.

In addition, when Scotty approaches me that way, I am drawn to him. How true is that wonderful verse in James: draw close to God and He will draw close to you! (James 4:8).

See Scotty in draw-close mode in the second photo.

So, a tale for the cat lovers among us!