Meandering along the edge of the woods,
You cautiously
approach the dilapidated shed.
You raise your
head and sniff deeply,
Then stealthily
creep inside.
From the doorway, you peer up at the house with hesitant hope.
Years of watching
me have told you, She can be counted on,
Yet, you still
don’t fully trust me.
You will eat my
food but won’t draw near.
In your younger days, you ruled these acres.
Your demonstrative
yowls preceded your appearance.
The tattered ears,
the clouded eye, the permanent limp
All attest to your
hard-won battles.
But yesterday I saw you retreat from that young challenger.
With barely a
hiss, you relinquished your territory.
Backing away in
submission,
You slipped
quietly into the undergrowth.
Don’t worry, my seasoned friend.
The young and
strong may defeat you,
But none can take
your place in my heart.
You will ALWAYS be
welcome here.
I peer out the kitchen window, surveying the woods.
Will you return?
I’ll wait and watch,
And pray for a glimpse of you. . .
I wrote this poem years ago about a stray cat that I tried to befriend. Oddly enough, as I read the poem this morning, it reminded me of Jesus’ story of the prodigal son from Luke 15. Perhaps every believer goes through times when, despite how God has shown Himself to be faithful, we have trouble trusting. We try to make it through the ups and downs of life on our own. We stray from Him. But He never gives up on us. Like the father Jesus talked about, God is always waiting and watching to welcome us back. God loves His strays!
Be encouraged!
