Pickles the Fire Cat

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there’s something about Pickles’ posture as he slides down the fire pole that I just do not like…I find it vaguely unsettling.

We’ve recently unearthed a treasure at our house: The Fire Cat. This was a book that belonged to my mom when she was a little girl, given to her by her cousin Richard. We know this because of the inscription: Merry Christmas Suzanne. From, Richard.We are keen anthropologists around here.

Here’s the premise. Pickles is a feral cat (my words) who lives in a vacant lot and spends his days terrorizing other cats; I know, I know–he sounds evil, but like many HBO characters, he’s more conflicted than anything else,and we soon come to understand (because it is clearly spelled out for us) that Pickles is a cat who “wishes to do big things.”

Anyway, Mrs. Goodkind (yes, that is her name; and yes, perceptive reader, she is both good and kind. Children’s books of that era were not big on subtleties)—the woman who lives in the grand house next to Pickles’ lot—tries to domesticate Pickles by taking him home to live with her, but Pickles wants nothing to do with the cushy chairs and cat toys she provides him, and soon returns to his wild ways. Chapter 1 ends with a warning so foreboding we can almost see the storm clouds gathering in the distance:

I’m going to start using this warning myself, I think—it’s so versatile.

And sure enough, one day as storm clouds do gather overhead (shocker!), Pickles chases another cat up a tall tree only to find himself unable to climb down, stuck in the middle of what is now a raging storm. Good (and kind) ol’ Mrs. Goodkind calls the fire department and soon Pickles is rescued by Joe the Fireman. Pickles and Joe share a long moment of eye contact…
Here, we are to understand that in this moment–perhaps one of the most intense in literary history–Pickles manages to convey his desire to go live with Joe at the firehouse, learn the trade of firefighting, and do big things as the world’s first fire cat.

I was reading this story to Jacob a few nights ago (as I had for the past seven nights), and at this point I paused to ask him, “What is it that Pickles wants very much?”

After a moment of pondering, Jacob solemnly answered, “God.”

Come again? Fairly certain that was not what he meant, I tried again, “Wait, what does Pickles want very much?” This time Jacob was more emphatic: “Ohhh, Pickles wants God very much.”

(Now I don’t think that this was a classic case of The Children’s Sermon Effect–you know, where kids learn that they have about a 98% chance of being right if they just answer every question in unison with an enthusiastic “Jesus.” …Who was born in a stable at Christmas? “JESUS!” …Who died for our sins? “JESUS!” …What do you think might be in this envelope that I brought with me this morning? “JESUS!!” Really. You think Jesus is in this envelope? “YES!…OR GOD!” No, Jacob is not savvy in the ways of children’s sermons yet.)

I started to explain, “Well, actually Pickles wants Joe to—” …but then changed my mind.“Yep. Pickles wants God.”

Because I think, at some level, Jacob sensed an eternal truth that tends to get lost—or pushed down—the older we get: that what we all want very much…what will ultimately fill us up, heal our woundedness, soothe our hearts…is God.

And all those other things that we want and need and cry out for? Those things matter, of course they matter. God cares about your job, He cares about your family, your children, your marriage, your dreams, your deep heart needs. He cares about it all and no detail is lost on him. It’s just that He knows that whatever this world serves up in response to those needs will always be a cheaper, fake version of what He offers.

Because only He can meet those deep heart needs…only He can bring hope, healing, and restoration to the brokenness that stems from those deep places…only He can bring light to places suffocating in darkness, freedom to places choked by shame.

Dear friends, He yearns. He waits. And as we walk the broken road to Easter this week, Jesus beckons with arms wide open…Come, precious child. I have called you by name. You are mine, and I have loved you with an everlasting love. Now hear this truth deep in your heart: there is nothing in you too broken for me to mend. There is no part of your heart too far gone for me to reach. And there is no disappointment too great for me to redeem. Because I am in the business of miracles.

So wherever you find yourself right now, whatever keeps you up at night, whatever places in your heart are crying out for something more, whatever you need: He is the starting place.

“Lord, I Need You” by The Skit Guys www.skitguys.com