Willow, safe at last

She was in hiding when we first saw her at the RSPCA (Royal Society Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). She wasn’t the prettiest kitten available, she was timid and scared but she responded to love and had stolen my girl’s heart….

She was the perfect pet and was happily adopted and taken home. And she was given a new name – Willow.

She was scared and hid away under the furniture for the first week or so, peeking out from her safe place under the bed but quickly retreating when someone came near. She would eat cautiously but retreat back to safety each time someone moved.

That was a couple of weeks ago.

Now Willow’s beginning to relax and trust that she has no reason to fear. We don’t know what happened to her in the past to make her so cautious but now she has safety and security. She’s in a loving home with a loving family who want to give her all the love she can take.

I realised as I watched her that she has much to teach us.

I think of all God has to offer us through Jesus dying on the cross.

How easy it is for us though to be offered love and all the blessing that comes with that love from God, then accept Him as our saviour… but still live in the ‘safety’ of fear from past hurts and failures, convincing ourselves we don’t deserve what God has to offer. We can be scared of leaving what we’ve always known rather than to step into something unknown.

To trust in the living God, the only one who offers all we will ever need and more than we could ask when trusting before has let us down and why would God love me when I’ve been so bad can hold us back.

But He who knows all we’ve been through patiently waits for us to take Him at His Word and believe that we have nothing to fear by accepting this love. We have only blessing ahead with a promise of eternal life with nothing to fear by putting our trust in Him.

God has said, "I will never leave you. I will never desert you. Hebrews 13:5 NIRV
He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.

Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. 1 John 4:18 NLT

Willow is reaping the benefit from taking that giant leap of faith – you can too! Like it was for Willow, we get to choose whether we will accept the love offered freely.

The Bible says ‘All have sinned and come short of earning God’s praise’ Romans 3:23 CJB
so you see its nothing to do with whether we’re good enough or deserve this love – no-one will ever be good enough.

So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Hebrews 4:16 MSG

God promises: There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:2-3 NLT

The story is told of a man who died and went to Heaven and was being shown around the rooms waiting for everyone.

He saw inside these huge mansions filled with so much beauty and treasure. He excitedly asked ’ Where is my place’ and was shown to a much smaller place with empty rooms.

When he asked why he didn’t have the same mansion filled with treasures he was told ‘I had all this for you also but you never asked.’

Its up to us whether we live with or without the benefits of being adopted into the family of God, being one of His children.

Pray – ask God to help you accept His help.

Read the Bible – every day so you know what being in God’s family means for you. If you don’t have a Bible there are websites you can use including the one I use – Bible Study Tools where you can search any subject you want to know about.

So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. Hebrews 6:1 NLT

Don’t wait another minute.

And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love. Ephesians 3:17 NLT

Let go and let God – you’ll never regret it.

Please share this message and help to bring light and hope to those you love the most!
2016 Elaine Costin – Capturing Sunrise / Blog