I’m now one of those people who posts pictures of their cat. I have some dissonance about this.
Four years ago, my husband and I inherited a flame point Siamese from our neighbors. They moved to the foothills and were concerned that this indoor/outdoor cat would get eaten by coyotes. As my husband loved this well-known neighborhood pet, when our neighbors asked us to take him in, it was a no-brainer (for my husband, not for me).
I grew up with cats. However, we had mutts—cats of unknown genetic mix. Therefore, I really had no awareness of different cat breeds, or how different and unique they could be. I thought a cat was just a cat. Until we inherited Stanley.
Stanley’s quirky. He has crossed blue eyes, a human hair fetish, he’s a serial location napper (he sleeps in one place for a while, then moves on to the next), he’s obsessed with food, he’s a splooter, he loves all things cozy (mainly very soft blankets), his favorite toy is a piece of burlap (or a towel), and he crosses his paws like a feline gentlemen when he lays down.
What I’ve come to understand (and appreciate) though, is that he’s a hallmark Siamese. Siamese are highly intelligent (second in line behind the Abyssinian—the most intelligent cat breed), friendly, affectionate, sociable, talkative (add extremely in front of each adjective), and intensely loving (no joke, this is how one source described them).
Stanley loves his people. He wants to be where you are, and if he can’t see you, he’ll sniff you out with his incredible sense of smell. The biggest offense to Stanley is a closed door, which you’re behind. Whether in your vicinity or on your lap, he just wants to be nearby.
Like Stanley, the God revealed in the Bible has a distinct character. He’s compassionate, patient, generous, loyal, and just. He’s passionate, vulnerable, and protective. What I’ve come to understand (and appreciate) though, is that he’s intensely loving—this is his hallmark trait.
God loves his people. God wants to be where you are, and if you stray, he’ll seek you out. He just wants to be nearby. He desires to be, and is, present with his people. We witness this in the burning bush, in the pillar of cloud and fire, through the prophetic voice in the Old Testament, and in the person of Jesus in the New Testament.
As we progress towards Easter, I pray that we experience God’s intense love revealed in Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection.