God Comforts Us In Ordinary And Unexpected Ways

I did not pose Lydia for this picture.  She waits for me in the morning just like the Lord!

"Father, if its ok with you can my boys have a kitten?"

I prayed those words not expecting an immediate response.  You see my boys LOVE cats and at the time that I prayed that little, seemingly insignificant prayer we had a cat who despised my boys.

I was thinking perhaps Christmas time, He had another plan that would prove to bring great joy and comfort to my family over the next 4 1/2 years.

About 2 weeks later I get a call from my husband, you know the one who says NO to any and all pets, well USED to,...

" Jeff found a kitten this morning in the lawn mower.  I am going to bring it home because nobody here wants it."

A little bit later, "There are 3 kittens now.  I am going to bring them all home."  I tried to protest but it was no use, the man who said no to all the pets was adamant about bringing all 3 kittens home to our 3 boys.

We decided to keep one of the kittens.  The decision for me was an easy one as I had always wanted a long haired calico cat ever since I was a little girl.   My dad, who I only got to see once or twice a year, had a long haired calico cat when I visited.

Now my Dad is dying.  I am in that process that so many others have gone through and it is so difficult.   However, this cat comes and rests on me bringing me comfort each day.  I know that my heavenly Father is with me through this time of great sorrow and difficulty.

As I lay in bed this morning, not knowing what the day may hold for my dad, I pray and ask the Lord to tell me what to write about.  Immediately, Lydia jumps to my side licking my nose and pawing at me to get up.  She is my unquenchable snooze alarm when I sleep past 4:30.

I hear the word "COMFORT".

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear not evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

God uses my cat to comfort me.  As a matter of fact He has used many of my animals to comfort me in my time of need and Lydia has been a gentle, unexpected display of the Father's gentle love toward me during this time of uncertainty.  

"Don't wait until February."  My Dad said to me a few weeks ago as if he knew that February would be too late for him to talk to me and hug and kiss me one last time.

During my visit I stayed in a sweet older woman's home through Airbnb.  Helen is a cat lover and she told me that if I left my door open at night I may have an unexpected visitor.

As I was getting ready for bed the first night of my stay I was obviously very upset.  I was getting ready to curl up in bed with my Grandmothers old hanky to cry myself to sleep when I had an unexpected visitor.

But God was with me as I was greeted by Helen's cat I couldn't help but smile and know that my Daddy in heaven was comforting me once again.

I am so thankful that we serve a God who is intimacy acquainted with all of our ways.

He is also a man of sorrows, who was and is acquainted with grief.

He knows what we need when we need it as we go through the difficult struggles in our lives.

My God knows me, He knows how to comfort me and His desire is to show me that He is with me during my darkest hour.

I am leaning on God in a whole new way through this process of death.  He has comforted me through His word in a significant way as I cry out to Him for my Dad's salvation.  He breathes hope and assurance into my spirit that tells me that His ways are good and that I can rest in His sovereignty no matter what the end result is.

So as I wait to hear those dreaded words, I press into His Word, knowing that I will find comfort there.

Psalm 119:49-50

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.  This is comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.                                                                     

Jeremiah 31:13

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry.  I will turn their mourning into joy;  I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.   

Romans 15:4

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.                                         

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.