TGIF
Miss Kitty is getting gray around her little face and her dark coat is starting to show her age as well.
It has been said that on the day you get a pet that you just guaranteed the coming of one of the worst days of your life… when they pass.
I believe that to be true…when my furry friend and companion dies someday, it will be a very, very, bad day.
I will mourn and my mourning will be deep and real.
It should be…I will have lost someone who meant a lot to me.
Lately, I’ve been reading some material from Christian leaders who think we take our pets way too seriously and that we actually sin by being so connected to them and loving them so much.
Some people need to have a “doctrine” for everything and that “doctrine” will almost always suck all the joy and wonder out of the Christian life, in addition to making God into a cold, pious, dullard who resembles in every way the cold, pious, dullards who write such drivel.
I reject this sort of theology as near blasphemy and offer instead a defense for loving our pets and doing so with joy and gratitude to God.
In fact, I say that our pets can and should hold a high and holy place in our lives as they can reflect something of the character and nature of God.
First off, they have a personality.
All of my cats have been different, each one of them with a unique personality.
Is that not an attribute of God, given by God?
Second, they are capable of relationship.
Is anything more fundamental to our faith than relationship?
Third, they love us.
Miss Kitty waits every day at the end of the driveway for me to get home when I have left the house for some reason. She is relieved that I have returned and walks with me into the house and jumps onto my lap when I sit down. She knows when I sick and knows when I’m down…and she cares and tries to make things better for me as she’s able. She loves me and I return that love to her through care and affection.
Love…defines God and where love is, God has been and is.
Our pets have personality, they are capable of relationship, and they demonstrate love.
How can that not be a reflection of God ?
Of course it is, no matter what the holy and stiff among us believe.
I’ll take this one step further…by now you’re either offended or feeling vindicated, so one more step won’t matter…
I believe I’ll see my departed pets again when heaven and earth become one place and the creation is redeemed and renewed by it’s Creator.
I believe the wonderful God who enabled our pets to be capable of having a personality, developing relationship, and pouring love out on us will honor those relationships in eternity.
My heavenly mansion will have a very large “catio”.
Do I have chapter and verse for my beliefs?
No, but neither do you.
What I do have is a knowledge of the goodness and love of God and the joy that He’s given us through our animal companions.
Man was made just a little lower than the angels.
Miss Kitty was made just a little lower than me.
Someday, we’ll all be made new again.
I’m getting really gray myself.
Make your own application…
Dear brotherfriend….I agree 100%. I need to believe that our beloved pets will be there in the afterlife. I once had a Christian radio host say that he believed all pets go to heaven because they don’t need to get saved because, by God’s grace, they already are. Is it accurate? No clue, but I like it.
kattt,
I have no idea…nor do I know or care about whether animals have “souls”or need “salvation”
When I grew up I decided that it would be a great time to stop trying to pontificate on things that were above my pay grade.
Here’s what I do know…the membrane between heaven and earth is paper thin…and there have been times when God in His grace and mercy has allowed a breach in the membrane and I knew that one of my pets was safely home.
I needed to know that, just as you do.
That’s enough for me…
Great post my friend!
I see so many cat owners in pain over the loss of their beloved pets. (Feline Chronic Kidney Disease Group)
No one can convince me that these grieving people did not have a close relationship with their cats.
Animals are all sentient beings created by God.
Here is my favorite video of a sentient being loving on a human.
https://www.facebook.com/david.sloane.75641
Sorry the link was incorrect.
Corrected link. https://youtu.be/nd7Ka8R0jBE
Thank you, surfer51…I know you get this…
Too much doctrine and overthinking and over-spuritualuzing everything does indeed suck the life and joy out of living. There are some blogs that I just can’t stand because they do this all too much. And people like that need to be run away from.
That being said, I think some here know where I stand in regards to pets/animals in the afterlife.
And amen again with the statement that those who pontificate about animals not having souls have no bible verses to back it up.
Thanks for this Michael!
Thank you, Dan!
It’s sad to me to think we have to justify loving another one of God’s creatures…
Personality?
Our first Bulldog, Winston, could have given Bono a run for his money in the “cool” factor…
Our second Bulldog, Clementine, channeled Olivia Newton John…
We still grieve. Hard to imagine heaven without them.
Present Bulldog, Maisie, is working on her Taylor Swift persona…
That all life belongs to God and has value is fundamental, at least in my opinion. All this is to say, thanks, Michael.
Thank you, Duane.
I will go to my own reward believing wth all my heart that our losses are only temporary.
When we all get home, I’ll introduce my cats to your dogs and all will be well…
Surfer51, thanks for sharing that video. It was very cute. And does show the love a pet has for it’s human. 🙂
#10 Michael
… And without going into matters eschatological, Is.11:6-9 is pretty compelling.
Still praying for you surfer51.
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
(Isaiah 11:6–9 ESV)
I taught on that passage last week…thus, this weeks TGIF… 🙂
“…Christian leaders who think we take our pets way too seriously and that we actually sin by being so connected to them and loving them so much.”
Say WHAAATTT?!!! Idiots!!
I am graying right along with our pup, Penny the dachshund, who is both lapdog and trained killer in her own mind. We will all hurt deeply when it is time for her to go.
this is my own theology construct, but i hope that i am right 🙂
bad animals never get resurrected (not talking about lions who eat gazelles), but good animals do according to some plan of God’s design…
i won’t be able to live next to Michael in eternity because i’m calling up one devoted little wirehair terrier from my childhood who lived to chase cats 🙂 there was one little gun metal grey cat we named gillie … hmmm … looks like i’ve got a theology problem to solve…
okay, since we’re talking pets… (we’ve had to put down 2 just recently – old age complications)
my daughter related that she was saying goodbye to her old Australian Shepherd, had her arms around the animal, talking to it and patting it, saying goodbye… the dog put his “arms” around her and began patting her on the back with its paw… if that doesn’t make you teary, you won’t have any pets in heaven
pets have a personality, capable of relationship, and demonstrate love…
…they’re higher than many humans in that measure. Trigger, my half heeler half McNabb, is better company than loads of people.
…doesn’t hold his alcohol well, though. 😉
my dogs think I’m way too connected to Christian leaders and it’s sin to love them so much.
#18 em
Know the feeling…
Blessed is he who is not condemned in what he approves.
Love this. Of course. Thanks for being a Cat Guy…
Em, #18 made me more than a little teary…
Thanks, Paige!
I lost my dog last week, he was sick with cancer and the most merciful thing to do was to put him to sleep. I can only hope to one day see him again.
#26
Mike
Real condolences… it is so hard.
Here’s what we do at our house:
Every morning (except Sunday) after breakfast we gather in the living room for some out-loud reading. Me, the dog and the rabbit on the couch, Pop on the chair, Mr. Noodles (cat) on his perch looking out the screen door at the birds. We sip our 2nd cup of coffee and read the scripture for the day and a page or two from the life of a Saint or something similar. We all five look forward to it everyday.
I suspect those who have a negative doctrine about pets have never read the book of Tobit. That’s what they get for removing some perfectly good books from the Old Testament.
I’m sorry, Pastor Mike.
This probably happens at a lot of churches around the country, but back in Minnesota there are some churches that hold a “Blessing of the pets” day. I used to think that this was some liberal clap trap baloney, but now as a pet owner and in light of Isaiah 11:6-9, I think it’s a good idea for those so inclined to pet ownership and the hope beyond the grave that we believers share.
#28 – if ever there was inspiration for a children’s book… the picture Xenia paints is beyond charming… could be narrated by Mr. Noodles, title = Mr. Noodles’ Family
(but who is instructing the chickens in the things of the Lord?)… praying Xenia, that you get inspired to sit down and write 🙂
As Michael alluded to, outside of strong evidence in the Isaiah passage and some other passages (Revelation comes to mind), we don’t exactly how God works out the afterlife of his creation (trees, mountains, lakes and oceans, for example), except that it will all be good!
Dan, my church does the blessing of the animals each October. No cat baptisms yet.
MLD, I am sure the first cat to be baptized won’t go willingly!
The babies we baptize don’t go willingly either. 😉
I just spent a week “alone”, as my wife and son were in Montana. I was by myself, except for Cinder our half black lab half beagle. She is high maintenance, interrupts, news a lot of love, and basically bothered my quiet study times. She is a lot like me, probably why
I get so agitated. Then there is Tiger, the mackerel, a beautiful loner, but veryyou loyal to one person. That would be me. I’m greeted as my truck roars up our hill, and he greets me in the driveway roles around in the dirt and grass clippings. Cinder is yelping and going bananas and greets me with dancing and joy. Like I just survived two tours of duty in
Iraq. Life could be worse, and
I like you Michael love them, their companionship, their need for affection, their insistence, that takes me out of my selfish, need to have ” my time”. There are lot of people I work with, broken, basically some are the working poor, some have had some serious tragedies, broken families and pain. Maybe I ought to be the one who expresses joy when they enter the office, shower them with care and affection, instead of staring online at the crappie that passes for news and information. Thanks for being real Michael.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day…
from the Christian Post
Ooops…bad formatting…let’s try this again:
This from the Christian Post
Great thoughts, Michael. Our pets are part of us and the kingdom of God- we lost two dogs last year and grieved their loss. Now, we have a new puppy and can’t imagine life without him. Yesterday, however, we discovered our long-time cat companion was taken by a coyote. Ugh– another hole in our hearts.
Linnea, so sorry to hear of your poor kitty’s fate
we’ve lost 2 cats to coyotes and folk say we’re irresponsible for not confining them to the house… well, we don’t see it that way… we drive the highways and don’t feel irresponsible for not staying home where it’s safe
the cats know there’s danger in their lives, but they want to live it as cats for as long as they can – that means the birds are in danger, but so are the mice and that’s a good thing IMHO
those coyotes serve a purpose, too – we’d be overrun with rodents if it weren’t for the coyote
all the stories here of lost animal companions and the grief … can’t wait to see how God resolves this in eternity, eh?
Linnea,
Very sorry to hear about your kitty…
Just now checked back on this thread (6/11/2017)
Thank you, Dusty. I seem to be doing better, not so wiped out. Was in bed initially for five weeks the cancer was so spread out, but these days I am up and about.
Xenia your after breakfast Bible study group is amazing! My chicken used to sit on the back of my leather chair and fellowship with me every night before bedtime. I miss that.
Linnea I am so sad about your loss. Being owned by 7 cats and one feral kitty I know how close we can get to these guys.
We lost two other cats to the neighbors’ pit bull and poisoning. But God keeps on cycling the critters through our home. Funny how you don’t go and get cats, they just come to you by God’s providence.
Since I have been diagnosed with cancer my male cat Oliver has taken to cuddling up to my chest when I am asleep. I am surprised to wake up with him tucked in close to me purring away in the morning.
It is as if he knows dad is not well and he is trying to comfort me in his own way.
And my male Shitzu Billy has been keeping real close to me also these days.
Animals know things.
I enjoyed your post-Ron. I got a good visual picture of what you described.
I know you heard it but, “Dear Lord please make me to be the man that my dog thinks I am.”
Animal therapy is freely given when we come home, and I love it!
#43 Surfer51
My wife has adult onset type 1 diabetes… no family history, and she weighs all of 120 pounds. Our first bulldog, Winston, could sense when her numbers went low. At night he would bark to wake her up. We counted at lest 10 times when he prevented her from going into a diabetic coma.
As you say, “animals know things”…
saw a good soldier/dog movie this weekend–Meagan Leavy. She was a dog handler in the marines and Rex was her explosives-sniffing dog. Good movie still in theaters. My son Taylor, an Afghanistan-war veteran says those dogs are ‘bad-ass’ and have the respect of all the soldiers in the battle zones.