Several years ago my wife found a lost kitten at our Church and brought it home. He was a black and white tuxedo kitten, so she named him Figueroa, and called him Figgy for short.
One time Figgy attacked a dog I had. The dog was not doing anything wrong, Figgy was just being protective of kittens near my dog. So I went to put my dog outside, was waving my hand for the dog to go. Right then Figgy came flying through the air to attack my dog, and clawed my hand instead. Ouch! So I put the dog out, and came back inside with a stick.
Now I would never hurt an animal, as since I am a loner, animals are my closest friends. But this night I was mad, and this cat was certainly not my friend! I looked at him and yelled. He knew I was mad. From that day forward we were enemies. If I came in a room he would leave. If he came near me I would chase him away. He would meow at me, I think purposefully to irritate me, and I would chase him or send him outside. We lived like this for several years.
One time Figgy had not come home for three days and my wife was very worried. I walk in a faith where I pray like a believer, where I know God listens, and know God can help us. So I said, “let’s pray”. I prayed, “Lord, you know I don’t like that cat, but I love my wife, would You please help the cat find his way home”? Five minutes later I hear the cat’s meow at the front door. I am never surprised by answered prayers, but always amazed.
A few years later in 2012 my wife came to me, and was very worried about her cat. She said he was all bloated up, not moving, not eating, and looked terrible. That was a Friday night, and the next day I had a full day of teaching at a local prison. So I told her to take him to the vet the next morning, as maybe he had worms or something. Then I would check back with her after my prison ministry.
So that Saturday I came home and my wife was very sad. So I asked her what was wrong. She said the Vet checked Figgy, and he was bad off. He had eaten something bad, his intestines were all twisted up, and he would not make it. The only chance would be maybe with a $5,000 surgery. My first thought was, “that cat is going to die”. We didn’t have that kind of money to fix Figgy.
Mary then said the vet told her to bring Figgy the next Monday, to put him to sleep, as there was nothing they could do for him. They did not want him to suffer. So I have this faith that just believes what scripture says. The Lord says we can heal, so we can heal. I don’t know how everything works, but know that God does a mighty work when we just ask Him. I will let other smarter people than me argue why it can’t be done, but I will just believe.
So I tell my wife, “well, why don’t we just go lay hands on your cat and pray that he would be healed”? So later in the evening after our dinner we did just that. I started the prayer in my thoughts first, “Lord, you know I don’t like this cat, but I love my wife”. Then I prayed out loud, “Lord, you are the God that can do anything, so I am praying that you would heal this cat”. I forget what else I prayed, I just pray to God like I talk to people. I let religious people talk all religiously, I just talk the way I talk. If we don’t pray real, then we are fake. Where is there faith in that? I know He appreciates a genuine heart same as we do. When you pray, don’t try to sound right, just be real.
So the next morning we get up, and wow, check it out, Figgy is running around the house as lively as a newborn kitten! He was totally healed. No bloating. No issues. All better! And that wasn’t the half of it. Starting on that very day we became friends! He started coming up to me so I would pet him. He would not leave the room when I entered. And I don’t know what happened, but from that day his meow stopped bothering me. Ha, sometimes it will bother my wife, but I just smile, he is my friend. I pick him up and hold him. I give him little treats and we have both become like new creatures.
This was many years ago. He stays inside with us all the time now. All things were made new. God is good. God is the God of miracles. Sometimes those are with miracles we see, I have been blessed to see so many. But often the greater miracles are in the unseen, the renewed lives and restored relationships, especially within us, and between us and God. And so God could prove to me how much He can do, He made me and Figgy friends. Miracles are often never what you imagine they might be.
Now it is simply inspiring to see my little buddy Figgy, and it reminds me of answered prayers, of God’s power to heal, not just the physical but the relational. Once the Lord touches your life, you will always remember, and your life will never be the same.
Pray believing. Let God do a miracle in your life today.