The Crazy Cat Lady – and the Crazy God who loves People

I love cats. I mean I really love cats. I think they are beautiful creatures. I enjoy laughing at their silly behaviours. I love stroking their soft fur. I love being serinated by their purring. I love their poise and elegance. I love watching them groom themselves, or even more grooming each other.

One day while cuddling with one of my cats, and thanking God for them. I thought about all the recent adds I had seen for people trying to find homes for kittens. I could easily become a “Crazy Cat Lady” with hundreds of rescued cats – that is if I had the time and money.

I know several people who do not like cats. I can understand why. Cats can be aloof. They don't warm up to strangers quickly. When they are afraid or anxious, they can respond with teeth and claws. But my love for cats enables me to see past the behaviours to the reasons. That just makes me love them more. My precious “Little Girl” is a dainty, loving, gentle, adorable cat with me. However, she will growl or even bite or scratch someone she doesn't know. (The vet has called her psycho kitty from h*ll. She was traumatized in several ways as a tiny kitten, and she retains the distrust that trauma produced. I want to help hurting cats find a loving and safe home.

I realized that my love for cats is similar to God's love for people. (I am, after all, made in God's image.) God loves people. He thinks they are beautiful – the very pinnacle of His majestic creation. He loves spending time with people-- one on one. He loves our singing – He is the One who gave us voices to sing with. He loves to see the great things we do with the skills, talents, and abilities He has given us. He loves seeing us serve one another.

Just like some cats, some people can be pretty nasty. But God sees past the behaviours to the reason. He sees how we have been traumatized by sin – the sin of others against us, and the sin we have committed. He longs to bring us healing. He wants to heal us body, mind and soul, and He is the only One who can do so. He loves us deeply, passionately, intimately, and eternally. He is the Crazy God who loves people.

We try to cover the pain with drugs, food, alcohol, pleasure, sex, or adrenalin rushes. None of these satisfy for long, so we are soon looking for more. We look for healing in pills, or mysticism, or mindfulness, or “spirituality” that leave Him out of the picture. These solutions may provide some healing, but never bring us complete wholeness. God made us. He knows what it is that we need to heal the hurts we have sustained and the illness we have picked up from living in a fallen world.

I have adopted sick and hurting cats. I have been able to improve their quality of life, but I could never fix all their hurts. God, on the other hand, CAN fix ALL of our hurts – physical, emotional, and spiritual. However, so many of us settle for an improved quality of life. We add a little Jesus to our lives. We enjoy fellowship at church. We get away from some of the habits, sins and people that sustain the hurts. But God wants to do more than improve the quality of our lives. He wants to redeem the painful experiences; He wants to wash away the stain of sin; He wants to make us whole.

“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. (Jn 10:10)

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
     yet we considered him punished by God,
     stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
     he was crushed for our iniquities;
     the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:4-5)

May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it! (1Th 5:23-24 The Message)

Thank you Heavenly Father for adopting us into your family! Thank you that You love us completely when we are doing well and when we are doing terrible. Thank you that through Jesus coming to this earth, You understand our struggles and hurts. I praise You that You don't stop at just understanding or empathizing with us. Jesus died on the cross to bring us healing – soul, spirit and body! Thank you for forgiving our sins! Thank you for healing the hurts of the past! Thank you for cleansing away our sins. Thank you for giving us a hope and a future! I praise you Father for You are good and kind and faithful!