What Our Cat Taught Me About Prayer

Meow. Meow. Meow. Every morning. Meow. Meow. Meow. Every afternoon. Meow. Meow. Meow. Everyday, our cat, Rory, cries, meow! It gets annoying, but he sure is effective.

The reason for his constant meow? He wants his Temptations treat. Yes, those little bite sized treats in a jar. He has been conditioned that he gets a few treats every morning. So, as soon as morning rolls around, the meow-fest begins. And, it doesn’t stop until he gets his treat.

Just today, his meow was so persistent, I got out of bed to give him his treat just to keep him quite. His constant begging won me over. Even if I wasn’t quite ready to get out of bed.

Jesus told a parable in Luke 18 called, “The Parable of the Persistent Widow”. And, it is quite similar to Rory and his constant meow.

In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

“And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man  comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Bottom line, the widow in the parable didn’t stop asking God for what she needed. Eventually, the judge granted her the request.

Our cat, Rory, didn’t stop asking, “meowing”, either. And if I will get out of bed to get treats for Rory, how much more will a loving, just God, hear my persistence?

What, in your life, is a prayer that you want to be answered? Even if it seems like you’ve been praying it for years, don’t stop!

Keep asking, or “meowing”. Go make a difference. And always, Run By Faith.