As I was
walking my dog today, I saw a baby chipmunk run past me and a cat chasing
behind it. My dog went for the chipmunk but the cat raised his back and hissed in defense,
ready to pounce on my dog if he came any closer. When the cat saw me he backed down and turned his
attention toward the chipmunk, who had crawled up into a small tree. The
cat jumped into the tree but looked at me again and then jumped back down.
It was like scene from a movie. The chipmunk was looking at the cat and me. The cat was watching chipmunk, my dog and me. My dog forgot all about the chipmunk and was trying to play with the cat. And I was watching all of them carry out their instincts, doing what came naturally to them. I guess the cat saw me as a threat because although he hesitated, he eventually retreated. My dog tried to go after him but he was on a leash, so he could only go as far as I let him. (That cat would have whipped his little 9 pound youknowwhat...) The chipmunk will probably live to see another day. And, I went on to finish my walk, turning back a few times to make sure the cat hadn't returned.
As I walked away I thought, "This must be how God looks at us sometimes as we carry out our instincts, doing what comes naturally to us." He watches...
Sometimes he provides an escape when we get trapped like the baby chipmunk.
Sometimes he keeps us, like I keep my dog, on a short leash to stop us from going too far.
Other times he stands eye to eye and toe to toe between us and the enemy until the enemy has no choice but to retreat like that cat did.
Although operating in their God-given natures, every creature in this situation, including myself, was a benefactor of something not found in nature: Grace.
Sometimes we know exactly what it is. Like when we’re in bumper to bumper traffic, playing with our phone and we look up just in time to avoid hitting the car in front of us. Sometimes we're ignorantly aware. Like, when we have a ‘bad feeling’ that we just can’t seem to shake but nothing happens to validate it. Sometimes we’re passive benefactors. Like, when we just happen to be in the right place at the right time and something wonderful happens. It's grace.
I can recall situations where I've been the chipmunk, the cat, and the dog. And, as I left the scene, I was reminded that in nature, baby chipmunks get eaten by cats because cats get hungry and chipmunks taste good to them. Dogs like mine approach the wrong cats and end up with their eyes scratched out or worse because sometimes they can't tell the difference between a friend a foe. And cats... even big bad cats eventually meet their match.
It was like scene from a movie. The chipmunk was looking at the cat and me. The cat was watching chipmunk, my dog and me. My dog forgot all about the chipmunk and was trying to play with the cat. And I was watching all of them carry out their instincts, doing what came naturally to them. I guess the cat saw me as a threat because although he hesitated, he eventually retreated. My dog tried to go after him but he was on a leash, so he could only go as far as I let him. (That cat would have whipped his little 9 pound youknowwhat...) The chipmunk will probably live to see another day. And, I went on to finish my walk, turning back a few times to make sure the cat hadn't returned.
As I walked away I thought, "This must be how God looks at us sometimes as we carry out our instincts, doing what comes naturally to us." He watches...
Sometimes he provides an escape when we get trapped like the baby chipmunk.
Sometimes he keeps us, like I keep my dog, on a short leash to stop us from going too far.
Other times he stands eye to eye and toe to toe between us and the enemy until the enemy has no choice but to retreat like that cat did.
Although operating in their God-given natures, every creature in this situation, including myself, was a benefactor of something not found in nature: Grace.
Sometimes we know exactly what it is. Like when we’re in bumper to bumper traffic, playing with our phone and we look up just in time to avoid hitting the car in front of us. Sometimes we're ignorantly aware. Like, when we have a ‘bad feeling’ that we just can’t seem to shake but nothing happens to validate it. Sometimes we’re passive benefactors. Like, when we just happen to be in the right place at the right time and something wonderful happens. It's grace.
I can recall situations where I've been the chipmunk, the cat, and the dog. And, as I left the scene, I was reminded that in nature, baby chipmunks get eaten by cats because cats get hungry and chipmunks taste good to them. Dogs like mine approach the wrong cats and end up with their eyes scratched out or worse because sometimes they can't tell the difference between a friend a foe. And cats... even big bad cats eventually meet their match.
But for grace...
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