On The Count of Three

I John 5:3 -- "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." 

 

To the music of a very large green tree frog outside our bedroom window, my husband and I wind down for the evening and turn the covers back on the bed. After a long day - no, long week - of all four of us fighting upper respiratory issues, nothing felt more inviting to me than finally tucking myself in for the night. I indulged in a full body sigh.

Djibouti with her blue fish toy. Very happy kitty.

Relishing in relaxation, I am fully prepared to count some serious z's, when right in front of my face there is dropped a bright pink, slightly wet, fuzzy fake mouse. Djibouti is looking at me with her bright little face in anticipation. I just want to roll over and sleep, but I know she will keep doing this until I flick the mouse, allow the agile feline to retrieve the thing and bring it back to me - just so I can flick it again. [Yes, we have a cat that plays fetch]. And here is the thing about Djibouti ... she knows if you're not trying. She will not let you get away with that. I have to flick the thing high and long so she'll be able to do her incredible arial acrobatics. Not only does she insist I put heart and soul into the flicking, but if I don't sit up and get to it - she'll unsheathe one claw and start to poke me with it under the covers until I comply. [Yes, she has us well trained].

So ... I sit up and indulge this very spoiled rescue cat. We've trained her to pounce on three, and NOT before. If she gets too excited and pounces before three, she knows that the mouse will fall to the floor [because she knocks it out of our hands] without granting her the joy of a really good pounce. There are those skeptics out there that insist you cannot train a cat. I beg to differ. Any food motivated creature on this earth CAN be trained. . . 

The game is afoot. And I notice something. Djibouti pounces with everything she's got after the word three.  I can even skip two. She knows the word three. Just like she knows the word treat. Even if we spell it out in an attempt to prevent her excitement when simply calling out to one of the guys that we need some more from the store. I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose.  This IS the cat that sits down to watch Too Cute every time it's on Animal Planet - and she often beats us into the living room because she hears the intro music and knows what follows. [she's also a huge fan of Jackson Galaxy - I'll have to tell him that, one day].

Djibouti watching Too Cute on Animal Planet

You see, to Djibouti - taking a few minutes to flick a ratty old mouse toy IS love. She understands this play as affection for her. We act. Granted, she IS soooooo very spoiled, but would she "feel" affection from us if we didn't act?

This month, Steven and I have been married for sixteen years. From the moment we exchanged vows, without skipping a beat - the very first thing my husband does when he opens his eyes in the morning is tell me that he loves me. He has done this, without fail, every single morning for sixteen years. I love it. He does not wait until he's had his shower - until he's ready for work - until he sits up to get out of bed. He says this to me the moment his eyes are open.

Djibouti does not hesitate when the pink fuzzy mouse is flicked. She pounces immediately. 

Let me ask you something. Would you feel loved if after your wedding day your spouse never again said he/she loved you? Or what if they only said it to you on special occasions - like Christmas. Or Easter? What if your brother, your sister, you parents or grandparents only told you how much you mean to them a couple of times a year? Or when it felt convenient for them? Would you believe them when they said it to you?

What if someone you cherish told you they love you, but then sighed or followed the statement with a shrug of the shoulders and an "I guess". Djibouti knows when I'm not flicking the mouse with any amount of enthusiasm. God knows when we say the words that SEEM to indicate we love Him - but put no real commitment or enthusiasm behind them.

Why do we wait to obey the Lord? Why do we turn this expression of our love for God into a burden? Well, ok, God - I'll go to church today, I guess. Ok, Lord - I'll tithe ... next Sunday. 

I love Djibouti. So I flick the mouse. It is not a burden because it's an expression of love.  Every morning my husband tells me he loves me. It doesn't make him tired to do so - because it's an expression of his love for me and he knows that before I even open my eyes a smile spreads on my face when I hear those wonderful words from his mouth.

In Psalm 119 verse 60 David says "I hastened to obey your commands". I love that verse because David is excited. He is enthusiastic in his affection for God. He hurried to do the things that he knew would make God happy. 

Shouldn't OUR affection for our Creator and Savior come with an abundance of enthusiasm? With energy?  With joy? 

Food for thought, no?