At the Foot of the Tree
"You won't find lasting joy in a gift-wrapped at the base of an evergreen tree...But you can find it at the foot of a cross-shaped and blood-stained tree."
A lost, lonely kitten huddles in a darkening alley. Cold and frightened, she shivers and tucks a hurting paw beneath her body. Shaking rain from her fur, she looks around for a place to hide.
Have you ever felt like that kitten? Perhaps your parents argue a lot and you want to hide from the angry words that fall like rain around you. Maybe your parents are divorced or they have deserted you and you feel lonely and lost, like the kitten in the alley.
Do you sometimes feel cold and left out? Perhaps you are handicapped, or different from other children in some way. Do you, like the kitten, wish you could hide from the unkind things others say about you?
Suppose Tommy spies the cold, lonely kitten. Quietly and carefully he reaches for it, talking to it kindly. Gently he picks it up and tucks it under his coat. He wants to take it home and care for it.
Do you think the kitten might hiss and scratch and try to get away? She may, because she is frightened and hurt. She does not know that Tommy wants to help her.
There is Someone who wants to help you too. He is God. The Bible tells us God is your Father in Heaven. Earthly fathers sometimes make mistakes or leave us hurting. But God, our heavenly Father, is always near to pick you up and help you. He knows all about you. Because He dearly loves you, He cares when you feel lonely, or hurt, or sad.
You may have heard people say there is no God or that God does not care. These people are like a kitten who fights to get away from the person who is trying to help it.
God wants you to trust Him. He wants to be your Friend. He wants to heal your hurts. He wants you to stop fighting so that He can take care of you. When God knows the right time has come, He wants to carry you to His home in Heaven if you love Him. There you will be safe and happy with Him forever.
It did hurt when Tommy washed and bandaged the kitten’s paw, but that helped it heal. Sometimes God allows painful things to happen in our lives. Like the kitten, if we do not run away from God, He can help us. He can even use hard times in our lives for our good, or for the good of others.
Do you need a place to hide? God invites you to trust in Him. He is your safest Hiding Place.
~Brenda M. Weaver, adapted
Photo: Getty Images
Christian Light Publications, Inc. Harrisonburg, VA 22802 Phone (540) 434-0768.
