Making Sure They Eat in Peace

Our Cats Had to Be Able to Eat

                Each morning I follow the pattern set by Edmund Gates, Jr., my father. My first task of the morning almost always finds me putting out food for the farm cats.

                Dad had about three old metal ice trays into which he put scraps for the cats. He finally, several years before his death, elected to purchase commercial food for the farm felines. His conservative side struggled some with this decision. Yet his younger daughter’s lifelong commitment to high-quality care of her cats spurred him to feed the cats “a little higher on the hog” than he normally had. After all, in Dad's mind, if rodent control fueled the primary reason for keeping cats on the farm, why buy food? 

Cats eating at the old metal ice trays that Dad used.

                Some mornings, after I began feeding the cats following Dad’s stroke, I would hear low grumblings coming from the several cats eating from the repurposed ice trays. I decided to deviate from Dad’s procedure.

                I had a wonderfully-designed vintage Tupperware container with six veggies/fruit compartments encircling a center spot for dip. Sadly, the lid had met with disaster. Rather than discard the lidless tray that was unfit for storing or transporting food, I took it as a more equitable feeding bowl for the cats.

Baby Boy with his ritual of standing up on my leg.
The repurposed Tupperware container is visible.

                Most mornings, the repurposed Tupperware container solved the eating turmoil and disagreements. Then the stray tomcat appeared. He wreaked havoc on the morning meals for our farm cats.

                The only solution seemed to be my lingering around as they ate. My presence kept the stray, domineering cat from scattering our cats and devouring their food.

                One morning as I observed them nourishing themselves in peace, I thought how much like our farm cats we believers in Jesus are. The Scripture in I Peter 5:8 says, “Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” The devil seeks to upset the children of God just like the stray cat brought unrest at cat feeding time.

                Yet I am reminded in the rhetorical question from Psalm 139:7, “Where can I go from Your presence?” The understood answer being “Nowhere.”

Cats Eating at the repurposed Tupperware container.

                The explicit implication is that God is with us. Isaiah 41:10 indicates that if God is our God, He is with us. What comfort this verse provides!

Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not be afraid, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you; I will help you;

I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

               

                In no way do I intend to liken myself to our all-powerful God, but the cats could eat in peace if I stood with them providing my protecting presence for them. However, when I moved into the house, if they had not finished eating, their insecurity returned. Unlike God, I do not have the capability to be with the farm cats continually. As children of God - ones who have acknowledged their wrongdoing and embraced Jesus as the only way of forgiveness - we serve a powerful God who guarantees His almighty, abiding presence with each of His children always. Let's rest in His presence and experience His peace.