Our cat, Watson loves to be outside. I swear he is saying
the word “Out!” over and over as he gazes up at me and then looks back at the
sliding glass doors. I would love to let him roam free, but there is too much
risk of being run over by cars, being shot or poisoned by those who aren’t fans
of cats, or getting hopelessly lost in pursuit of a stray cat.
So, I bought a collar and a thin, lightweight plastic rope
that gives him a 12-foot radius to roam, including a grassy patch so he can get
his daily greens. Does Watson enjoy it? No! You would think I had a slipped a noose
around his neck!
First, he throws himself down and rolls around on the concrete
in a fit that resembles my kids’ temper tantrums. When that doesn’t work, he stretches
the rope as taut as it will go and then yanks and tugs, trying to get the collar
over his head. Even when he begrudgingly wears it, he continually tries to go
beyond the boundaries of the rope.
If Watson would stop fighting the tether, he would realize
he is free to watch bunnies and birds, smell the flowers, eat some grass, soak
up the sunshine, and rest in the shade. But he sees the limitations as a cruel
taskmaster spoiling all his fun. Temptations repeatedly pull at him.
Aren’t we the same when it comes to the boundaries God sets
for us? Until we surrender our lives to Jesus and realize God’s will is the very
best for us, His guidelines for life can seem awfully strict and confining. Even
afterward, we face temptations to disobey:
Give in to greed: Why shouldn’t I keep the $50 bill I saw
the guy in front of me drop?
Spread gossip: Did you hear that Barb saw Linda and her husband
arguing in their car last evening? It looked pretty heated to Barb. I’m only
telling you so you can pray for them.
Harbor a grudge: He never even offered to mow my grass
when I had surgery five years ago! Why should I plow his driveway because he
had a heart attack?
Like Watson and his tether, if we are willing to stop
struggling against God and the boundaries set by His Word, we can find freedom.
Proverbs 3:7 says, “Simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong.”
While our salvation is based completely on Christ's
obedience and sacrifice, not our deeds or works, how much we struggle in life
depends on whether or not we choose to rely on and obey God. “But if you look
carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says
and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” James
1:25
Be encouraged!
Pam
©2019 Pamela D. Williams
