God Is Like a Tiger
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Illustration
by John Catoir

A priest friend of mine went to the missions in Africa. It took him three years to learn Swahili. He was working in a small village when he could finally communicate to his community. They understood him, but one of the men came up to him afterwards and said, "Father, we thank you for all the sacrifices you've made to preach to us in Swahili, but you don't understand God the way we do. You speak of God as out there in the universe, but for us God is like a tiger and we are the prey. Not only does He hunt us down, but we are already captured by him and baptism puts the seal on this capture. We are held by Him and He owns us, so there isn't any great difficulty in reaching him. He is the one who seizes us."

The priest learned more from that man, the native, than he probably learned in the seminary. It's just a way of looking at God which is more meaningful in some ways than some kind of a vague, distant God in whom you have faith. We are owned by God. Once you have the faith to know that the Lord will sustain you and keep you and hold you and protect you, you don't have to worry. Faith then becomes the support of your life.

ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., The Power of Faith, by John Catoir