The Sign on God's Frig

One evening our home group was discussing what it means to walk out our identity as sons/daughters of God.  We were filling in the blank in the phrase, “you know you’re a son when you…”  My husband, Jimmy said, “You know you’re a son when you go in the frig and get yourself something to eat without asking.”  That about says it all.  I am at home in the Father’s house as I partake freely of what he has there.

But what if you’re a cat.

I often hear a cat howling in the woods behind our house.  She’s a gray kitty, feral, without a home.  This morning I saw her crouched low with her tail almost dragging on the ground as she hurried across the front yard.  Tail wagging is a sign of happiness in a dog.  With cats, you can tell how secure or happy they are by the tail being straight up or down.  This cat was out of her element, not at all at ease, and got out of our yard as quickly as possible.

This afternoon, there was a different cat at our door, our outdoor cat, Lily.  Lily was also born a feral cat, but we have petted and cuddled her since she was a kitten.  Although we could not tame her well enough to come and live inside our home, she continues to stay nearby and eat at our back porch everyday. 

When she saw me, Lily hurried to greet me, her tail straight up like an arrow, a little curl at the tip.  Lily knows she belongs at our house, and her tail shows it.  Her tail says, “I am a son (or a daughter in this case) at the Spaloss’ palace.”

Now there are places/times where I feel out of place, not in my element.  If I was a cat, my tail would be dragging.  But there are other places/times where I feel loved and secure and my kitty tail would be straight and tall.  What makes me feel at home at one time, and out of place at another?  What gives me security or insecurity?  It’s like Lily showed me.  It is in knowing who I am, knowing I am a son or daughter of the Most High God. 

The King may not always be wearing his crown, but he’s always royalty.  He carries his royal presence whether into the throne room, or when he goes to the movies with his kids.  So it’s not a place or the people in that place that gives me my identity.  Instead, I am learning that I take my God given identity wherever I go.  

What does that look like?  Wells it looks like a cat with her tail straight up like an arrow.  It looks like me catching myself feeling out of place, reminding myself of who I am, and helping myself to whatever God has in his frig, his storeroom of provision for whatever inadequacy I am experiencing.  Whether I am lacking confidence, hope, security, words to speak, it’s in the frig, and I have an open invitation to take whatever I want or need.  Just read the sign taped on God’s frig: “Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless? Come anyway—buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.  Buy without money—everything’s free!”  (Isa. 55 The Message)