Interesting neighborhood.  Phantom, the huge cat that sneaked his way into the house by following our cats, through the cat door we placed in the bathroom window, has also decided that if there is a door open in the neighborhood he is welcome to go in. 

He just walks in and makes himself at home.  Later he leaves and finds his way back into our house where, I guess, he prefers the food.  He sure can’t claim he likes the company since all the other animals don’t like him.  Some nights he sleeps on our bed, some nights upstairs – or in the basement depending on how he feels – and it would appear some nights he makes his bed in someone else’s home.

A week or two ago Carla saw a rabbit in the garden.  A big rabbit, dark grey in color.  It was obviously somebody’s pet.  We got to checking and found it did belong to one of the neighbors. 

He is a Houdini and finds ways to get out of their yard.  It isn’t a problem for us, he isn’t creating any problems, but he seems to prefer Carla’s garden to his own.  He goes back when he wants but comes back down to eat grass and just hunker down under the blackberries.

The neighbor said that he doesn’t like to be picked up.  They got him as a present for their daughter – instead of the cell phone she had been begging for – but it was already an adult and set in its ways, may have been better to have gotten a baby, but they didn’t so they don’t have a sweet cuddly bunny for her to play with, and he isn’t a cell phone so she isn’t all that interested in him.  That doesn’t mean she doesn’t feed and water him and has set up a bed for him – she has, she doesn’t care for him; and it does make for an interesting story.

So we have our own little neighborhood menagerie.  Deer, squirrels, raccoons, skunks (fortunately not too often) myriads of cats and dogs, rabbit, lizards, a frog or two and the cats located gophers and mice, large flock of quail, eagles, hummingbirds and  several other varieties of birds joining us in the bounty of the land. 

While we are inside the city, at times we really do have that country feel we like so well.

Isaiah 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

We know that the Old Testament focuses on the Jewish people and their relationship with God.  We also know that there are promises like these that He made to the Gentiles to let them know He has not forgotten us.

When we look at the foundation of the world, it is obvious that He wanted all of us to be His children.  We are all the children of Adam and Eve.

But after the flood and after years of the people rejecting Him, He chose to use Abraham to father His chosen people through Sara’s birth of Isaac.  His focus was on having them be the means with which He would rule the world – and they failed; over and over again.

He knew that would happen, of course, His foreknowledge is over everything and He promised that He would bring the Gentiles back into His fold. 

While Jesus ministered mainly to the Jews, we also know that there were Gentiles that came to Him and received His blessings.

This was the beginning of a new era, and new covenant with man that we will all have the opportunity to have an eternal relationship with God, through Jesus.

He confirmed it through Peter and Paul.  We know there was resistance by the Jews to include the Gentiles: after all, Jesus was a Jew who ministered to the Jews confirming His heredity through the lineage of Father Abraham and his son Isaac.  But God’s actions and the Scriptures declared Christ desired to have all mankind saved through Him.

Romans 2:9-11 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

¹⁰ But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

¹¹ For there is no respect of persons with God.

Jesus came to minister to the Jews, that was what His main mission was, but it did not exclude the ministering to Gentiles; He is the means for the salvation of us all.

Romans 15:11-13 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

¹² And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Paul reminds the Gentiles that they too are children of God; Jesus was their entrance into the family of God.  Through Him, we have the hope of salvation and access to all God offers.

There is no elitism with God.  There is no one who, by birth or sex has greater access to God than anyone else – He views us all the same.

Galatians 3:27-29 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

We are one with all that have accepted Christ as Savior – ALL. 

We gain greater status with God ONLY when we obey Him and in the diametrically opposite of the way man thinks.  It isn’t by works or great oracles, or great thoughts, it is a total and complete submission to Him – and then we don’t care how the world views success or status – it just doesn’t matter to us.

Luke 22:25-27  And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

²⁶ But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

²⁷ For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

We are children of God by design, even while He was calling the Jewish nation His Chosen People, He had not forgotten us.

In His eyes we are all the same.  He wants us to not worry about status, where we came from, what our heritage is, because as far as He is concerned we are all the same.

What He does want is a complete submission to Him in service to others following Christ’s example to His disciples.

but I am among you as he that serveth

May our thoughts be focused on Christ and not ourselves.  May we serve others without thought of recompense in any form.  May we become the Christ that is within us that we reflect His Love to all mankind.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again