Funny how God speaks to us sometimes!

Psalm 89:15-18 Message
15 Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of GOD. 16 Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do--they can't keep it quiet! 17 Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us-- you've been so good to us! We're walking on air! 18 All we are and have we owe to GOD, Holy God of Israel, our King!

Funny how God speaks to us sometimes!  This morning I got up early to spend some soaking time with the Lord and I found myself distracted by my cat Ginger.  We have two cats: one that we adopted two years ago named Bianca, and another we just adopted  few weeks ago named Ginger.  What a trip it has been watching two cats battle it out for the territory and for our affection.  I remember the first night with the second cat, my other cat who is a typical foreboding personality cat (affection on her terms alone) suddenly decides she is going to sleep with me, on my bed, right next to my head! I thought, "You little stinker, you never wanted to cuddle before ... jealous little thing!" As this relationship has developed over the last few weeks, things have been a roller coaster of funny events. You see, Ginger is the most aggressively affectionate cat I have ever seen, and Bianca still likes interaction with us on her terms yet is jealous of Ginger.  Even now, as I lay on the floor of my living room typing this on my iPad, Ginger is rubbing back and forth under my chin, across my arms, shoving her head into my hands to rub, and purring her little heart out. At the same time, I glance up and see Bianca sitting on the stairs, glaring at us with utter distress in her eyes! Ha!

What keeps this cat at bay, jealous as anything, while this new "predator" in her home steals our hearts with all this proactive affection???  Maybe there is a parallel here with our relationship with the Lord?  How proactive are we with showering our affection on Him? Are we leaning into Him? Are we seeking His cover, His embrace over our lives?  Do we go after Him so much that we "distract" Him from what He is doing at the moment?  Or ... are we distant and foreboding, sitting back and watching as others go after Him ... becoming embittered as it seems that God favors them with His presence and favor in their lives????

I love the Message Bible version of this scripture in Psalm 89:15 "Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of GOD!"  Do we really know the power of our praise, the proactive pursuit of showering our affection on the Lord?  It is literally a "password" into the depths of His presence!  We can daily unlock new dimensions of His presence and favor on our lives with this type of praise!  

The passage goes on to say in verses 16-17, "Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do--they can't keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us-- you've been so good to us! We're walking on air!"  When we pursue His presence in this dimension, our knowledge of Him increases continuously, we know Who He is and what He does!  We see things differently and we understand Him more fully because "He has gotten inside of us!"  Wow!  There is a new spring in our step that comes, regardless of what we are facing in our lives it is as if we are "walking on air!"

This is so much like my little Ginger, she is the happiest cat in town ... there is always a purr in her voice and a rub coming to you when you're in our house!  She was talking so loud yesterday that we all said it sounded like she was saying' "Mama!" Ha!

Verse 18 says, "All we are and have we owe to GOD, Holy God of Israel, our King!"  Our unfolding divine interchange brings us to such a beautiful, humble recognition that all we are and all we have is because of Him, because of who He is, what He has fashioned for us, and what He pours out upon us as we pursue His heart!  I call worship, "the divine exchange," for this very reason. In moments of true worship, we exchange all that we are for all that He is ... what a glorious, continuously unfolding revelation!

Both my cats were rescue cats, but Bianca has been in our home for 2 years now ... perhaps Ginger is so affectionate partially due to her gratefulness in having a family of her own for the first time.  It is a fresh experience to her.  Bianca was much like that the first few weeks we had her too.  I just hope this never grows old with Ginger! She has stolen our hearts!  All you animal-lovers out there understand what I'm saying .....

In the same way, may we never become so familiar, so accustomed to God's presence in our lives that we become numb, distant, and passive in our approach of Him!  He is worthy of sooooooo much more!!!!  Pull out your "password of praise" and go deeply into His presence! He is waiting for you!!!!!

Funny how God speaks to us sometimes ....
Aimee