There are many lights in the world – Which light are you following?

The Spider

It was nighttime and I found a spider on the ceiling at one end of a room at my house. It was slowing making it’s way to the other side of the room when I wondered what might be of interest on the opposite side of the room. Instead going across the floor or along the edge where the ceiling and wall meet, it was venturing out across the middle of the ceiling. Then I noticed a lamp was on in the corner while the rest of the room remained dark. Now it’s true I don’t know for sure what the spider had in mind but could it have been that the spider thought the lamp was a sun or a heat source and it was headed for that light?

Many lights

Of course, you and I know the lamp wasn’t the sun because it was a lamp. Today there are many lights in the world but only one real Light. There is One who calls Himself the Light of the world.
Have you ever considered if you are following a false light or the true Light? Jesus Christ claims to be the only Light that anyone should be following but with so many voices telling us to follow them it can be difficult and confusing to know which is the right one. In fact it is something each person much examine for them-self. I can point you in a direction I believe to be true but ultimately you and I must make up our own minds about who God is. (Did I say this was easy?)

The Good Teacher

Many people believe Jesus was a good person and a good teacher. But could this really be true if He was lying about who He is? If He was deceiving the people with His Words about claiming to be God of the Universe, why should He be trusted at all? In addition, the writers of the Gospels and of other Scriptures of the Bible claim Jesus was God and the Creator of everything. In fact, scripture says He holds everything together! (See Colossians 1:17)

Trouble Ahead

Unfortunately for many, as is with the tail of the spider, their ending isn’t very pleasant.

Now the spider did not know the trouble it was about to encounter as it crawled toward the light in the corner of the room. On the way, the spider passed directly over a cat perch with a very curious cat inches below! Now it’s true cats tend to sleep a lot but being that it was night this cat was wide awake and ready for adventure (or at least playtime). Little did the spider know that this cat had been tracking him the entire time until just the right moment when the giant beast could reach up with his two front furry paws and take a swat! The cat didn’t miss and the spider fell from the ceiling and then it was on! Except it really wasn’t on for very long because the spider, being so little and the cat being so large, didn’t have the greatest of chances for survival from the get-go (unless there was someone to save it from the cats mouth or it had somewhere to hide of course!)

Yeah he’s pretty fierce… or was that a yawn?

Right now, if you are seeking a light (or haven’t even thought about if you are or are not ) but the light it isn’t the real light there will be eternal consequences after you die.

The spider may or may not have sought the lamp thinking it was the sun but it died nevertheless. Humanly speaking however the very unpleasant truth is that Jesus speaks about the reality of a hell that many will find themselves in if they are not seeking the right light.

God is Holy

God is perfect and holy and He must punish sin wherever it is found. Sin is the breaking of His law (such as the Ten Commandments). Who hasn’t lied, looked with lust (Jesus says looking at a woman to lust after her is the same as committing adultery of the heart)? Who has always put God first in their life or used God’s name as a cuss word? And God considers hatred of a brother the same as murder of the heart. Those are just few commandments but nobody (besides God) can honestly claim to have kept God’s law. We have All been condemned by God’s perfect standard and are headed for hell for breaking His commands….. unless there is real way of escape.

Way of Escape

And there is way to escape hell. Only One way. God is the Savior and the Light we need to be seeking. He paid the penalty for us breaking His Law. God Himself came to earth and paid the penalty for sin. In John 1 it says God was the Word and the Word became flesh. Jesus Christ is the Word who walked in a human body as the sinless perfect sacrifice for our sins.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5

Jesus died on the cross taking the full judgment for sin we deserve and after three days in the grave rose from the dead defeating death and judgment in hell.

To enter heaven one must repent of our sins and put our trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation from judgment to come.

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:8,9

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:17,18

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Image source ; cat images are my own

Helping Paws (are important too)

The typical house cat has been incredibly designed with two front paws. The front paws may seem ordinary as they aid the cat in walking, running, climbing, playing and of course catching birds and mice but they do even more.  What is not as commonly recognized, even among cat owners, is what a cat’s front paw does for you.

The helping paw as it’s more widely known, is used to assist the owner or owners in various activities and chores around the house, farm or workplace. It’s true your cat’s helping paws come in different colors and markings but their purpose remains the same.

For example, your cat may use his or her helping paw (or paws) to help bring a glass of juice on the table, closer to you. This applies to most any beverage including mugs of coffee, latte cups and cappuccinos as well. Of course, once the cat uses his or her helping paw to assist you, the end result may not be what you had hoped for and usually isn’t. Not to panic though. With the aid of the helping paw, naturally your juice may spill onto the table, your homework paper or even onto your favorite book and ultimately onto the floor but it’s important to keep perspective in this situation. When such an event occurs (and the odds are probable it will if you own a cat) you must not to take your anger or frustration you undoubtedly are most likely going to feel, out on your cat!  Remember that your cat was only trying to help you, otherwise they wouldn’t have used their helping paw in the first place!

 

It is also important to note how entirely difficult it can be for a cat to use their helping paws to help–simply because the paw isn’t a hand. This may seem obvious to you but to your cat it probably isn’t. The average helping paw doesn’t even have fingers for grabbing objects so the next time your cat knocks over your glass remember it is their attempt at helping you rather than the end result!

 

Besides using their paws for moving a glass of juice closer to you, your cat may use it for tugging at a string or a thread in order to play with you–which of course is meant to help you.  A prime example of this is when you need help (or not) in tying your shoes.  Your shoelaces are simply irresistible to your cat so let them “help” you tie your shoes, but don’t forget about those claws!

Your cat who is seeking to help using their favorite helping paw may attempt to help you in other ways as well.  Suppose for moment you are using yarn to knit or crochet a blanket.  Your cat may very well use their helping paws to aid your work.  Don’t be alarmed if your fabric gets snagged a little by a hidden claw or your cat tries to “grab” at the yarn. Without a proper hand with fingers your cat won’t be able to “grab” anything (aside from a snag) but remember it’s the effort your cat is making to help you complete your masterpiece that counts!

Not only does your cat want to aid you in finishing that sewing project, your cat may put their best helping paw out while you are reading a good book. I generally like to think it’s common knowledge that helping paws are not only great at trying to turn pages in a book but in communicating with you.  Helping paws work great in reaching out to say hello as you walk by your cat sitting in their perch. (Again mind the claws!)  And let us not forget the effort your cat goes to, thanks to their helping paws, in catching or trapping that nasty bug so you don’t have to!

 

In addition to the creation of helping paws, God has also given our cats two hind paws to be used in jumping. These paws are longer and stronger than the standard helping paw. With jumping paws your cat is able to make great leaps onto tree branches, fences, perches, your lap and even onto your bed with minimal effort!  Of course without the essential jumping paw, your cat would not be able to jump the four or five feet into the air it takes to catch that fluttering butterfly.  And then there’s that mighty leap and pounce, courtesy of the jumping paws, onto that streaking grey rat trying to get away!

 

And finally, there is your cat’s tail. Ever wondered why your cat has a tail? I know I have. The tail is better known as the balancing tail and for good reason!  Your cat uses their agile balancing tail to balance like a tightrope walker as if he’s walking on a highwire while your cat gingerly runs across a tree branch or effortlessly balances with four legs on top of the neighbors fence.  As far as I can tell the balancing tail is used in conjunction with the jumping paws (and helping paws). When your cat leaps into the air to catch a menacing moth or scampers up a green sprouting tree trunk, the balancing tail is constantly working to keep your cat from falling on his nose!

 

All in all, the cat is wonderfully made and fully equipped to help you. Whether he’s using his stellar hearing, penetrating eyesite, amazing jumping paws or agile balancing tail, just remember helping paws are important too.

 

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images are mine own thanks to Tuna the cat