A Stranger in the House

Our electric cabinet which I have gotten to know quite well.

I woke up this morning to a nice cool bedroom, the electricity had stayed on all night and the air-conditioner worked great.  The alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. and I worked at getting myself to rise so I could have some quiet time before my daughter had to get up.  Only I walked into a living room and there was humidity soaking itself everywhere so that even the chair I sat in felt a little damp.  As I sat down to enjoy my few minutes alone I noticed the electricity going on and off.  Apparently, one of the electrical phases coming into the house was quite unstable and so I went to check the voltage in the electric box.  There wasn't much I could do, or so I thought with my groggy head.  So I went back inside without adjusting anything only to happen upon A CAT FIGHT IN MY LIVING ROOM.  I forgot to lock the cat's window in the laundry room last night and a stray cat had wandered in.  Of course I yelled, "What are you doing my house."  Then thought, "I probably woke up my daughter".  The stray went berserk and ran for the kitchen only to find the laundry room window shut (a breeze must have blown it shut) and he proceeded to jump 8 feet in the air next to every window to find a way out.  I stayed clear and went to the front door and opened it wide then headed down the hallway to try to maneuver the cat out.  When I came out of the second door of the hallway the cat had disappeared.  I wasn't sure if it had gotten scared and crouched down in a corner somewhere or if it had seen the front door and fled out.  Our cat was still jumpy so we sort of watched each other as I had my quiet time.  Before long the electricity went out completely.  My daughter appeared a few minutes later, ready to face the day and wasn't quite ready to believe me when I said I wasn't sure if there was a stray cat in the house still.  We did another sweep on the house and decided that all was clear and continued on with a mostly peaceful morning.

 When electricity comes and goes it actually can damage our appliances. This reminds me of my need to stay connected to Jesus. While I believe Jesus only works for the good in my life, my unfaithfulness, whether it be neglecting prayer, or not studying the Bible, or focusing on the wrong things can be damaging to my life.  Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15: 5 Jesus is my source of strength.  Without Him I can do nothing.  I need to stay connected in every way to Him and not let any area slack off.

Resting peacefully

Also the cat made me think of being invaded by a robber.  Jesus says in John 10: 1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep".  The cat did not come in the front door, or the side door but sneaked in through a window.  I noticed later that my cat's dish was licked quite clean by the stranger.  Then when the stranger was discovered he began to wreck havoc in my house. I believe Merry, my cat, was quite relieved when I discovered the stranger and made him leave.  Often I allow wrong thoughts into my life that become strongholds that cause destruction.  We are told in II Corinthians 10:5 "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive in obedience to Christ."  When I saw that strange cat in my house I rose up against it and it fled.  Merry, my "faithful" cat, remained and rests peacefully in my house each day watching for any rodents that seek to invade.  So I must guard against wrong thoughts and my wrong thoughts must flee so that "the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension can guard my  heart and my mind in Christ Jesus." Phil.4:6