We moved into our house in 2007. It had been a long time since we owned a house, living in many rentals since selling a home in California in the 1980’s. While we live in a subdivision, our backyard borders a large irrigation ditch. We planted cedars along our back fence years ago and they have grown quite tall and given us a sense of privacy.

Because of the trees and the irrigation ditch, we have acquired a colony of feral cats. Over the years the colony numbers have varied from many to just a few. In the winter, when the ditch is dry, and the ground often freezes, we provide a bit of food and a bowl of water. It’s an offering to the cats who have kept the rodents away from our home for years.

This year the colony is small. There are four cats who are spending the winter in our back yard. The trees provide shelter from rain and snow, and our yard gets the morning and afternoon sun. I often look out back and see them soaking up the sunshine or huddled together against the wind and cold.

Those four little cats are secure in our yard. They know they have food to eat and water to drink. There are no enemies here. They can live without fear. Those little cats often remind me of the security we have in our LORD.

Hebrews tells us of that secure hope we have in Christ Jesus our High Priest forever. “We who have fled for refuge have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Jesus has entered there on our behalf … because He has become a High Priest forever ….” [6:18b-20 HCSB]

Secure. The Greek word is sometimes translated as unshakable. It comes from a word meaning “to walk where it is solid.”  Our life, our hope, is solid, it is an anchor for our lives in the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, where our Savior and LORD dwells. Amen & Amen.