LITTLE AMY was playing in the yard at dusk just before bedtime when a little stray kitten squeezed under the gate and came mewing toward her. It was such a skinny, starved-looking little thing, one could almost count its little ribs, it was dirty too, and its eyes were red and sore. But Amy’s loving heart went out to it in pity and she picked it up in her arms and carried it into the house.
As soon as Amy’s daddy saw the kitten he told her to take it outside. She could feed it on the porch but she couldn’t keep it. Little Amy pleaded for the little outcast, and earnestly implored her father to please let her keep it.
Her father loved his little girl and it was hard to resist her pleadings but as he went on reading his newspaper he tried to think of a way to get rid of the kitten without breaking Amy’s heart. He decided he would take the little puss out to a farm in the country and at the same time give his little daughter a new dolly which would help her forget her unsightly new pet.
That night before he went to bed he went to the kitchen and heard a faint mewing. Over in the corner, lo and behold, was the little kitten in the dolly’s bed, with a dish of water beside it. Amy’s daddy was vexed because his little girl had encouraged the little stray to stay, but later when he went into Amy’s room and saw her sleeping with such a sweet peaceful look on her face his heart melted. He thought of how kind was her little heart to want to do all that for an outcast kitten, and he was proud of her.
The next morning he went to Amy’s cot and said, “You can keep the little kitten.” Oh how happy she was! Nothing could have pleased her more, and she threw her arms around her daddy’s neck and gave him a big hug and a kiss.
We were all like the stray little kitten — dirty, starved, sin-sick and friendless. God’s love went out to us “when we were yet sinners,” and sent His beloved Son to die for us. For “God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). Those who come to the Lord Jesus in all their need will find the warmest of welcomes; He never turned any one away, and says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37). He cleanses us from all our sins, He comforts and feeds us, He gives us to know that He loves and will never forsake us, and one day soon He will come and take us to the Father’s house to be with Him forever. Oh what a Saviour! Do you know Him, dear reader?
ML-06/24/1973