“Come to me, all who
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

There is a cat that
wanders our neighborhood. I am not sure where he goes, what he encounters, or
what his daily purpose is. But, every day, he gets out and wanders this
neighborhood. His owners have given him the freedom to explore, and I am sure
if he could talk, he would have exciting tales of all the adventures he
encounters in his little world.

Sometimes, as I catch
a glimpse of this cat, I wonder what his day has been like. I often see him
cross busy streets with the confidence that the passing cars will not make
today his final journey. I see him strut pass dogs that would love to help him
meet his final maker. And I see him travel through weather that includes
blazing heat, pouring rain, and blustery snow. But no matter the perils, joys,
and adventures this cat must experience, there is one thing that is constant
every day. As the sun begins to set, and the darkness takes over, this cat
finds his way home.

This little story has
a lot to teach us about our daily journeys. God has given us the freedom to
explore as well. Sometimes, we may have a purpose and are focused on what needs
to be accomplished. But other times, we may just wander and be open to what He
has in store for us. Yet, every day, we wake up, journey out to our little
world, and encounter whatever adventure awaits.

There will be days
when the streets of life seem busy. We will find ourselves dodging heavy
traffic and trying to avoid getting hit. We will come across enemies who will
do whatever it takes to stop us from accomplishing our mission. And we will
travel through storms that disrupt our paths and make it difficult to reach our
destination.

But, as the sun begins
to set, and the darkness takes over, we can find our way home. God is waiting
for us with open arms. He is ready to lift whatever burdens we have carried
with us. He is ready to erase any fears that engulfed us. And He is ready to celebrate
all the miracles and blessings we may have experienced.

We must live this life
one day at a time. Just like the cat from the story above, we must be willing
to get up every day, wander this world, and have the confidence God provides to
explore what is out there. We must trust that He will take care of us, we must
be open to what He wants to show us, and we must be willing to share what He
has taught us. The adventure awaits you, and no matter the path the day brings,
understand that it is full of God’s love and grace.

I pray you are bold
this week and wander your “neighborhood.” I pray that you encounter obstacles
that make you stronger, face enemies that you learn to forgive, and experience
little miracles that enhance your faith. And when the day is over, I pray that
you find solace in the promise that God is bringing you home!