Stuck In The Garage

If you have read my blog before, you probably know that I have a cat named George. He is, for the most part, an indoor cat. But, we put him in the garage at night because, we don’t particularly enjoy being pounced on in our sleep. 

And George is perfectly content to stay in the garage at night.  He has his food and water and a little bed, and he has the whole garage to himself for all the exploring and mischief that a kitty can get into.

However, by the time morning rolls around, George is more than ready to be let back inside. As soon as he hears his humans up and about, he starts meowing at the door. 

If we don’t come right away, he meows more loudly and more dramatically. 

If that doesn’t work, he tries to dig his way in by scratching frantically at the bottom of the door. 

And if we still don’t come, he climbs the door facing and peeks through the window! 

Sooner or later, one of us will hear him (or see him!) and open the door. And whoever does so is then greeted by a very thankful kitty who wants nothing more than to purr and rub against your legs in complete adoration.

This morning, George was even more adamant than usual in his pleas to be invited back inside, probably because it has gotten so hot outside these past few days. 

As I opened the door for him and received my good morning leg rubbing, it occurred to me that if George hadn’t stayed by the door asking to come in, I probably would have let him stay outside a lot longer. 

In fact, I didn’t really want him to come inside when he did because the children were still asleep, and George enjoys waking them up (by pouncing on them and demanding to be petted). 

Yet, because he was so persistent in his request to be let in and because, quite honestly, he was getting on my nerves with all the meowing and climbing up the door (and sliding back down with those sharp kitty claws on the metal door), I relented and let him inside. 

I thought about how George had displayed the perfect example of how we, as Christians, really should be in our prayers and petitions to our Father. 

Luke 11:5-10 says: 

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;  a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’  And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’  I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.    “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

I wonder just how often I get "left in the garage" because I just neglect to ASK  for God's help in opening the door?  

Of course, I am speaking figuratively here because I am capable of turning a door knob.  But in what areas of my life am I falling short, or what have I completely missed out on altogether due to my lack of persistence? 

I truly believe that God answers prayers, but how can He answer the prayer that never gets prayed?  Yes, He can read my mind and He knows what I want and what I need before I even ask, but if I never bother to ask and make my requests known, will He see fit to grant them?  Just like I know that George wants to come inside every morning, but if he is not persistent in letting me know that he's ready to come in, I surely will not get in a hurry to open the door for him.  

Just some food for thought.... 

Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject, as well.  

Blessings to you,

P.S. You can follow me on Twitter, and hear more than you really want to know about my kitty cat, George.  ;)