Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts

When was the last time you asked someone a question? Or when was the last time you typed in an address on your GPS system? What if life was that simple? What would the world be like if we could ask a question and immediately receive the perfect answer? While the Internet has the answer to many questions, it cannot tell me where I will be twenty years from now. It cannot tell us if we will be united in marriage or if we will have children and raise a family. Amid a myriad of challenging questions, it seems we are all on the constant search for answers. The World Wide Web cannot answer them. Even someone as intelligent as Einstein would be utterly perplexed. Yet the answer is so simple a child could understand.

A little over two thousand years ago, God, the Creator of the universe, spoke this entire world into existence. He created every single aspect of this earth, from the smallest grain of sand to the tallest towering tree and the most miniature hummingbird in the air to the colossal whales in the sea. But his greatest creation was extra special. He created you and me, human beings whom he loves unconditionally. In fact, he loved us so much that he gave his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross, so we could receive forgiveness and salvation through him. But he didn’t stop there. God also loved us enough that he gave us the freedom to choose whether or not we would love him in return.

God does not desire to have an army of robots who worship him simply because they are programmed to do so. He allows us to choose whether or not we will serve him. He gives us the ability to determine our own destiny. The choice is simple. You and I can choose to dedicate our lives to the cause of Christ, or we can reject the very one who died to save us from our sins. If you choose Christ, you gain everlasting love and eternal life in Heaven. If you reject him, you subject yourself to a life of despair, culminating with eternity in Hell.

This summer, my Dad and I spoke to many individuals about the Good News of the Gospel. Some of the people we talked to were very open to hearing the message of Jesus Christ. Others were adamantly against hearing the truth. Sadly, many people go on searching for answers their entire lives, never finding the answer to the over-arching question: Why am I here? For some people, they believe the world came into existence via a Big Bang. But if you think about the aftermath of an explosion, it results in things being torn apart, not coming together. Others think the world evolved into what it is today. When I look at medieval castles, ancient city ruins, and other historic sites I have explored, I can tell you firsthand that things on this earth do not evolve. Instead, they decay and fall apart.

Look at the intricacy of the living things upon this earth. Cats have 32 muscles in each ear, which is why they can have one move completely independent from the other. Elephants have four legs that all bend forward, the only quadruped designed this way, so it is able to carry its enormous body weight. The human body is the most complex of all, having more than 30 trillion cells, each one performing 10,000 chemical functions. This earth was no accident. Just as a skyscraper has an architect to formulate its complex design, this earth also has a Master Designer. God created this earth and every single thing in the entire universe. He created us in his very own image (Genesis 1:27), so we could live for him.

Amid so much uncertainty in this world, I am grateful to know that God is in control. God loves us
unconditionally. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so whosoever believes in him shall not die, but have eternal life.” Every one of us has made mistakes. We have all sinned. But the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on our behalf will wash away all sin. Jesus died so we could have our sins forgiven. No matter what you have done or where you come from, Jesus died for you. I John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us.” Jesus rose again on the third day and is sitting at the right hand of God, interceding on our behalf. That’s how much he loves us. He even intercedes for people who have rejected him.

There are many questions in life. But the most important question is, “Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” If the answer is yes, then I look forward to seeing you in Heaven one day! If the answer is no, I urge you to stop searching for answers in all of the wrong places. Jesus Christ is the Answer you seek. Jesus Christ loves you more than you could ever fully comprehend. Make a decision to break free from the sin that has been ruling your life. Take hold of the nail-pierced hand of the One who gave his life for you. Choose to love the One who created you. Above all, remember Jesus Christ is the Answer to all of life’s problems.

A Cat Named Monkey

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for furry little animals that need a home. Whether it is a dog’s tail wagging happily as she takes me for a walk (yes, you read that correctly, takes me!), or if it is the soothing sound of a cat purring as he lays beside me on the sofa, I am a pushover for these friendly creatures that God put on this earth. I guess you could say the real testament to my love for animals would be the fact that I currently have three cats, a dog, a rabbit, and two pygmy goats. There’s just something unexplainably wonderful about a four-legged animal that snuggles up against me and loves me unconditionally, no matter what.

It was just a couple of years ago that my youngest cat came to live with us. I adopted this particular cat when he was barely even weaned from his mother. The previous owner could not support all of the kittens in the litter and decided to go ahead and give them away to the first homes they could find. Just as you suspected, I was one of the first to respond. There was something about this particular kitten’s face that said, “You need me and I need you.” Pretty convincing, since we now have each other!

When we first got this cat, he would climb up the side of everything (even humans!), just like a monkey. And so, the name stuck. “Monkey,” as we affectionately call him, has essentially decided that I am his mother. He presses his head up against my hand, unwilling to back away. He purrs continuously, and like most people, thoroughly enjoys a full body massage. Still, there is one thing that he does not like. He does not like the moment when I must resume my daily responsibilities and leave his company. The moment I walk away from him, he is crushed. I’m telling you the truth! Every time, without fail, he howls in sadness that our “playtime” has ended for now. He just can’t bear the thought of being apart from me, even for a moment. The very notion of being out of my sight is heartbreaking for him.

This evening, as we concluded our daily routine of him pushing against me and me giving him a massage, he howled as I left his sight, just as he had so many times before. As I walked away and listened to his sorrowful cries, I thought of how much our Heavenly Father loves us and just how much He is grieved when one of His children leaves His embrace. Amazingly, though, Jesus continues to love us, whether we acknowledge Him or not. If we spend time with Him, He loves us. And in those times when we’re just “too busy” and do not have time for Him, Jesus Christ never once stops loving us.

Think about it. Jesus Christ loves you and me unconditionally. That means He loves us, no questions asked. He loves every single person on this planet: parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren. He loves the drug addict, the alcoholic, the murderer. Jesus Christ does not discriminate. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from, Jesus Christ loves you. When you are running late for work and do not have time to say, “Good morning, Lord,” Jesus still loves you without fail. If you spend your evening watching television, leaving no time for reading His Word, He still loves you. Even if you have gone astray, whether for days, months, or years, Jesus loves you unconditionally, as though you had never even left His side. God’s Word says that there is not one thing in God’s Creation that “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39 ESV). Nothing can come between you and the perfect love of Jesus.

Just like my cat named Monkey, Jesus Christ longs for us to stay at His side, so that we can live a life of true joy that is only found in Him. He loves hearing the voice of His children. He loves embracing us in His fatherly arms. He longs to have us hold his hand as we journey down the road of life, just as a child would hold the hand of their father. Why? Because we are loved by the One who forgives our sins, forgets our past, and forever loves each of us with a fervent, absolute love that has no end.

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer

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