Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said,“your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:20-22
My phone vibrated with a text message. My pastor. I thought how strange to be texting me just an hour or so before church starts.
He found a cat with its head stuck in a Frito bag and it needs help.
My daughter and I have become the “animal rescue” in our little community. We are always happy to help. We’ve caught, tamed and nurtured many many strays in our area.
We jumped into rescue mode. Throwing some clothes on, grabbing the cat carrier and a pillowcase. Oh and of course, gloves…… feral cats sometimes are not the easiest to catch.
We got to the scene and found the Siamese mix cat that we have tried to catch for months. It was curled up under a car. My daughter laid down by the vehicle and started to talk to the poor thing.
“Mom, it isn’t good.” muffled from under the car.
She talked to it in the most gentle voice. She reached out to touch it. It meowed such a weak whimper. She continued to reassure it as she touched it more and more.
Finally she wrapped her hands around its limp body and pulled it out. We wrapped it in the pillowcase. My daughter pulled it close to her chest cradling it like a baby.
It jerked and shook.
“Mom, it needs to be put down.” Those words fell from her lips as slowly as the tears streamed down her cheeks. “It is in so much pain, Mommy.”
Mommy….. the word she uses when she needs comfort.
Here at this moment, I prayed for an answer. We are experiencing a moment that we hoped never would happen. Rescuing is suppose to help. This time…. a life was slipping away.
Oh, how many times I have felt like my life was slipping away. Like it didn’t matter.
I have tried to touch this cat for months. It always slipped away quickly and out of fear.
Wonder if Jesus felt like I did, when the cat dashed out of sight. I have been so close and yet didn’t allow Him to catch me. Like me, Jesus is persistent….. always trying….. always looking for an opportunity.
And then the cat laid dying in the arms of someone who has such a power love for animals. Her gentle touch and soothing voice moves even the most scarred animal to trust. Her touch that all the other times had healed. Now comforted.
Her touch brought trust to the dying animal. Probably the only time it had felt the human touch. Within her arms the animal felt like it could end the fight and let go of the fear.
Was it like the relief the woman who bled for years felt the moment she was healed? Like a hopeless healing…… hope never found until Jesus.
I am very proud of my baby girl. She looked like a miracle in the making as she worked with the cat. Yes, the death of the cat weighed on her heart but she knows the comfort it found in her arms. That healed me…….
God bless……
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