Last summer, we adopted a kitten. Squeak is wild, spasmatic, silly, and a bit naughty. In her first five months here, my hands and legs looked like Edward Scissor Hand moved in. And I won’t even go into the stink she can make with her litterbox.
She steals food, attacks feet, pounces on a dangling arm, and tries to counter cruise. But with all this naughty, crazy behavior comes this sweet, snuggling, and cuddling kitty. She wants to sleep on my chest, under my neck, alongside me, undercovers, and get as close as she can to me. If I had a kangaroo pouch, she would sleep there. She can’t get close enough.
My morning writings are interrupted with her draped over in the most inconvenient place on my lap, where my computer sits. But all her mischievous behavior is forgiven and forgotten when she seeks me out for sweet cuddle time.
I know she is messy, naughty, a bit of a troublemaker, and can make quite a stink. But she knows I love her and is unafraid to seek me out. She still wants my love; after I had sprayed her away when she tried to steal Ebbie’s food or put her in a timeout for her wicked kitty ways.
This morning, I woke with the song, “I want to sit at your feet, drink from the cup in your hand, lean up against you and breathe, hear your heartbeat.”
After all our rotten conduct, while we were yet sinners; shredding, scratching, and causing trouble, we are still invited ~ no, we’re welcomed, to lean into the Father's chest and find comfort, shelter, and unconditional love.
John 13 is an entire chapter of naughty people cuddling up with Jesus. He washed their feet. Broke bread with them. One even rested his head on Jesus’s chest, while another prepared to betray him. This rag-tag team of men was quite messy, troublemaking kittens; ear slicing, doubt riddled, friendship denying, fighting to be the most loved, kiss betraying, Jesus followers. Yet in the last full day with these naughty young believers, Jesus lavished them with love as they sat with Him. He knew they would grow into their true identity. That their messy, stinky life would one day be a fragrant offering. Their days of hurting people would be flipped into loving, healing, and serving them.
My point in this rambling is this- We are all a work in progress. We are still humans trying to live a supernatural life even on our best day. Our faith journey is far from perfect but is pursuing perfection. We are sometimes messy, other times spicy, another time naughty, but all the time loved. All the time invited to draw close, climb on His lap, seek comfort, and lean against His heart.
At our worst, He loved us. In our mess, He held us. In our stink, He embraced us. And therefore, in our time of need, we can fearlessly go to Him and draw as close as possible. With each cuddle, our hearts begin to beat in sync with His. They’re making us that much closer to becoming like Him. Giving us the ability to do as He did; love the messy, the naughty, the troublemakers, the ignorant, and seeing their true identity in Him.
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