Sunday Afternoon Tea - Not a Tame Lion

I am owned by two cats.  For as Garfield once said, "No one owns a cat".  There is a lot of truth to that statement.

Indoor Kitty (aka: Florentine) was adopted from a kitty rescue place about a month after Victoria suddenly died.  She had been abused and was afraid of everything for months.  She only came out from under the bed to eat and use the kitty facilities that first week.

Outdoor Kitty (aka: Mouse) was found wandering and was rescued by my neighbor, who works at a veterinarian's clinic.  She had Mouse fixed and given her vaccines so she could wear a collar and not be picked up by Animal Control.  Although I think they only come out to the country if called for a specific reason.

These cats have a lot in common.  Florentine now thinks she owns the place and Mouse moved from my neighbor's porch to mine.  Both are given kibble, although Florentine also gets a serving of Sheba each day.  Both are provided water.  Florentine sleeps pretty much wherever she wants in the house.  Mouse sleeps pretty much wherever she wants on the porch.

Their obvious difference is that Florentine is a house cat and Mouse is... not.  Florentine is trained as much as you can train a cat.  If we are not giving her the food or attention she wants, we receive a gentle love nibble meant to make us aware of her presence.  Like a toddler, she does not always get what she wants.  She is also about as safe as an almost trained cat can be... at least most of the time.

Mouse is not.  Safe that is.  She is wild and as free as the wind.  She comes and goes as she wishes between her original porch, our porch, and various other porches close by that are part of her domain.  Although at least for now, our porch is her primary home.

I have to sit on the edge of the bench to see if Mouse wants attention. Apparently I am her favorite human right now so she sometimes sighs and jumps up on the wicker table next to the porch bench and lets me gently pet her.  Mostly in the morning and when it is not humid.  I have learned not to touch her when it is hot and humid.  I fully understand her feelings regarding humidity.

While Florentine will give a gentle love nibble if she wants our attention, Mouse gives a more forceful love nibble if she does... not!  God forbid you are petting her and hit a soft spot!  That is the only time she truly sunk her teeth into my hand.  I think while we have Florentine almost trained... Mouse has us trained.  No, she is still a wild cat.

One morning this week, while sitting on the bench trying to discern what mood Mouse was in that day... for when she is in a good mood, she is a lovely kitty... I thought of the scene in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe when Mr. Beaver tells the children...

Mr. Beaver said, “Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.”

“Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you…  He’s wild, you know. Not like a tame lion.”

At that moment, I thought of how many of the parables of Jesus had to do with the items the people listening to him were acquainted with in their everyday life. They understood planting seed, fishing in the sea, sea salt, olive oil, lamps, shepherds, and everything he talks about to those around him.

Mouse reminded me of the description of Aslan... who taught me more about Jesus.  She has an affection for us but she is not tame like Florentine.  No, I cannot put Mouse in a behavioral box.  She cannot be kept in a house with four walls, she is too wild for that. 

As I sat there petting Mouse on the head, for she was in a mood to be admired, I thought of how we attempt to put God in a box as if He were tame.  We try to recreate God in our image, not the other way around.  We expect from God human traits and He is not human.  He is Love, yes... but He is also Holy. 

There have been times when I have tried to explain to God why I really really need something in my life.  Whether it be a thing, a healing, a miracle, or simply a cup of coffee (yes, I talk to Him about coffee and pizzas and chocolate).  Sometimes there really is a miraculous provision of a true need like a healing and one that is only a deep desire... like a pizza.

However, most of the time my whining and pleading works no more than when I am talking to Mouse.  Not that Mouse is a god but you get my point.  If God indeed became everything I wanted him to become then He would not be truly God.  He would be a manipulation of man and that, my friends, He is not.

I'm certain I could ponder this even more but why make something so simple more complicated?  Aslan is not a tame lion.  But he is good.  So is God.  When we do not understand what He is doing, we must remember that He is working all things (eventually) to our good and His glory.

Mentioned in this Blog Post
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis... here.

I also love this hardback edition of The Chronicles of Narnia... here.
(Beware that the paperback version offered is actually a boxed set and not one volume like the hardback.)

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