Oh No! It Happened Again!

              A high-pitched incessant meowing punctuated the early morning air. The two other kittens wormed their way into the food, carnivorously devouring it, totally oblivious to the cats three times as big as them.
               As soon as I was assured each feline, no matter the size, was nourishing their furry little selves, the investigation began. I walked slowly and cautiously, stopping to listen every couple of minutes. My ears seemed to be leading me outside the west gate.
               Each little meow beckoned me to the old chicken house-turned-shelter for Dad’s old pickup. Walking slowly by the passenger side of the pickup, I heard an increase in the intensity of the meowing. I peeked through the chicken wire into an old room with chicken nests still hanging on the north wall. There was the missing kitten pacing back and forth cautiously on the perch positioned in front of the line of nests. I began talking to her, asking her what she was doing up there. She responded by increasing the decibels in her meows. I walked over to her and cupped her in my hands after rescuing her from her “highwire” captivity.
             I returned her to her other two litter mates. Soon she was gobbling down the food she craved. She was safe, near her attentive mother cat.
            I could hardly believe it, about five days later, the above scenario repeated itself. The same kitten found herself in exactly the same precarious place with apparently no means to get herself down again.
            Carrying the cuddly fur ball back inside the fence to the “groceries” she loved, I reflected how much I am like the little cutie. How often do I say, "Oh no! It happened again!" Over and over, I find myself saying a derogatory or critical statement. I frequently worry before trusting, even though I know worry is sin. “Frittering” or squandering precious time seems much easier to do than to utilize time wisely in the 21st century, but Paul told us to “redeem the time.” In no way have I mentioned all “besetting” sins that can derail us. Every reader probably had several sins come to mind that trip up themselves and other people.
            Psalm 107 has 43 verses. Ironically, the exact same verse occurs 4 times. It first appears in verse 6. Then the exact wording is repeated in verses 13, 19, and 28. Here is the recurrent verse from Psalm 107: Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
            Interestingly, verses 6 and 28 indicate the subjects in the psalm found themselves in difficulty because of circumstances, not sin. Verses 13 and 19 are each preceded by verses that mention rebellion (verse 11) and transgression and iniquities (verse 17). The people mentioned in these verses 11 and 17 are crying out to God from their sinful state.
            The little kitten serves as a tangible example of how we come to God. We immediately call out to Him, just as she meowed incessantly for me or anyone to rescue her. The second time she found herself in a precarious place with no way to get down, she “called out” for help.                                                                                                                                     Keep calling out to God for help. He wants to help those in need so much more than I wanted to help the kitten. Never turn to any source other than Him. He will respond no matter how many times we call.