My husband and I were ministering at a church in Maryland and we had the opportunity to take a pleasant stroll through the neighborhood behind the church where we were staying in our camper.

We noticed on our walk, that this particular neighborhood had a large number of cats that were roaming about, investigating the various yards. I had never seen that many cats before in one neighborhood. They all seemed very rambunctious and active.

We continued up the sidewalk and saw another two cats staring out from a large glass window watching the other cats. These two cats were pedigrees, not the mixed menagerie that was playing in the yards. Their owner had obviously invested some money in these two and therefore could not risk allowing them to roam free where they could be harmed or stolen. Thus these two cats remained restrained by a glass wall to look longingly at the other cats who were obviously enjoying their unrestrained freedom to do whatever they liked.

Likewise, God puts similar restraints on those He has called to Himself. He has invested much in these ones, purchasing them with the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. He values, cherishes and protects them. He’s unwilling to let them partake in the sinful pleasures that others enjoy, knowing that these things can harm His treasures and He refuses to allow them to risk being stolen away from Him by the enemy of their souls.

In those times when you may be feeling that you are not fitting in with the rest of society, remember, “not fitting in” is a good thing because you are being safely “set apart” for God and His purposes for your life. Like those two valued cats, who really can’t understand why they must be restrained, we can read God’s word and know why our lives have to be different from the other cats in the neighborhood, so to speak.

Therefore others may not understand when your calling keeps you from partaking in activities that would not glorify God in your life. Be content to remain safely confined in the arms of the God. You are being restrained because He values and treasures you; He has called you by your name; and you are His.

Copyright 2018 by H. D. Shively

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