For almost 13 years, our orange cat, Neelix, has been a beloved member of our family. I named him “Neelix” after the alien character of that name on Star Trek: Voyager.

Why?

His face—especially his nose—bears a striking resemblance to the alien, Neelix. Even some of his coloring matches that of the alien.

In real life, our cat, Neelix, has always been fearful.

Perhaps some of this fear is a “post-traumatic shock disorder” from being left alone in a dumpster before he was even weaned. Our daughter, Sarah, heard his bellowing coming from a garbage dumpster in Sunnyvale, California. We’ve never known if Neelix’s mother deliberately abandoned him or if she was run over in the busy traffic.

To this day, Neelix bellows like a bobcat. He even looks a bit like a tiny bobcat. We wonder if there’s a bit of bobcat in his ancestry. If so, he is an “alien” to other cats!

Good-hearted Sarah—being Sarah—waited until she was sure the mommy cat was gone. Then she took Neelix home to her apartment where she fed him using an eye dropper.

After he was weaned, Sarah flew across country with tiny Neelix to Rochester, New York for Suzanne and I to adopt him.

We adore Neelix. But he’s always been fearful.

And, over the years, he’s becoming more and more paranoid. Fearing everything! Hiding out of sight!! Loving the dark quiet under our bed!!!

In recent years, his fears have been fed by the loss of most of his hearing. The other cats pretend not to hear us when we tell them to do something. But we’re convinced that Neelix truly doesn’t hear us.

Understandably, the loss of his hearing means that he is often startled when something unexpected happens near him—such as when we walk nearby.

Recently, I reflected that many of us live fearfully because we can no longer hear the “voice” of God—even when he’s “walking” nearby.

How can we get our spiritual “hearing” back?

Jesus promised, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”(John 10:27).

But what if we cannot listen to the voice of Jesus because we cannot hear him?

What “hearing aids” can we use to hear the voice of Jesus?

What “hearing aids” can we use to hear the message: “Fear not: for behold, [Jesus brings us] good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10 (KJV)).

Innumerable books and sermons have given advice about hearing the voice of Jesus—about hearing the message that Jesus is our Savior. The message that Jesus is the Messiah. (Luke 2:11).

“Hearing aids” include ways of meditation followed by Trappist monks.

“Hearing aids” include expressing faith through love in the ways of St. Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Hearing aids” include reading the Gospels.

For this blog, I’m going to draw upon ideas expressed in Psalm 19.

This famous Psalm begins by reminding us:

The heavens declare the glory of God

   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

   night after night they reveal knowledge.

     (Psalm 19:1-2).

Of course, the heavens and the skies do not pour forth literal speech. As the Psalmist clarifies:

They have no speech, they use no words;

   no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

   their words to the end of the world.

     (Psalm 19:3-4).

When the Apostle Paul explained the Way of Jesus to a group of pagan scholars at the great center of learning at Athens, he confirmed that nonverbal revelations (such as those described in Psalm 19:1-4) are sufficient to enable all Humanity to discern the essential characteristics of the one and only God—the one and only Creator.

This one and only Creator God:

—“made the world and everything in it”;

—“is the Lord of heaven and earth”; and

—“gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:24-25).

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Jewish and non-Jewish churches in pagan Rome, he expanded on these insights.

Paul wrote:

[S]ince the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse [for their wickedness].” (Romans 1:20).

Paul noted that some non-Jews, including pagans, live righteously.

Indeed, the requirements of the ideals of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets—as embodied in Jesus (Matthew 5:17)—“are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them” (Romans 2:14-15).

And so, both Jews and non-Jews may declare with the Psalmist:

“The law of the LORD is perfect,

   refreshing the soul. . . .

The precepts of the LORD are right,

   giving joy to the heart.” (Psalm 19:7-8).

Both Jews and non-Jews may hear the voice of the LORD, joining with the heavens and the skies to declare the glory of the one and only God, and to proclaim the work of his hands.

We can stop living fearfully!

Why?

Because the one and only LORD is our Rock and our Redeemer!

And so, we can pray together:

Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts

     be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD,

     our Rock and our Redeemer!

     (Psalm 19:14).

READ MORE

For more of my thoughts arising from Psalm 19, please read the end of the chapter “David Commits Adultery and Murder” in my book Healing the Promised Land, at pages 122-123.

For more of my thoughts about how Jesus overcomes our fears, please read the chapter “Jesus Tells the Disciples, ‘Peace Be With You!’”, in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 319-320.

For more of my thoughts inspired by our pets, please read my blogs “Toto Begging for Food”, “The Star of Bethlehem Was a ‘Can of Tuna Fish’”, “I Love You, Gram. Bye!”, “Eating Too Much Too Quickly”, and “Stop Drinking Stagnant Water!”.