The Best of the PhxP
Once a week we’ll feature articles from the past and from our books…
A couple of months ago my moms cat Plato died after giving twenty years of companionship.
The parting was that of a long time friend and she used some of her savings to cremate him and she keeps his ashes near.
Last night she informed me that Plato had communicated to her recently that he was in a better place and I allowed that was probably true.
This little vignette will cause no end of consternation for those of you that have written and proclaimed me a heretic for believing that pets go to heaven.
That’s pretty much why I wrote it…
I enjoy your consternation and wish you much more consternation and I hope you consternate yourselves to the point of being too physically impaired to type.
That’s what I wish for.
I’ll repent later.
Much later.
Right at the last second.
While I’m at it…
I wish the same thing for those of you that have recently consigned Steve Jobs, Brennan Manning, Jerry Lee Lewis, (and anyone else who didn’t recite the Sinners Prayer and invite Jesus into their hearts in your holy presence according to your holy rules) to the pit, forever and ever may they burn, amen.
According to some of you most folks are going to hell and you’re happy about it.
I don’t get to make that call…so I’m going to hope for the best.
When some of you actually get to heaven the first thing you’re going to need is a salve for your chapped butt when you find it’s overrun with animals and they play praise music with a heavy left hand on the piano.
That’s to say nothing of the surprises you’ll have about the people who made it in.
Don’t be confused when you see me and my cats sitting close to the speakers…it really is heaven and God does know I’m there.
You’re going to have many surprises like that.
The grace of God is broader than you can imagine…or want to.
Heaven will be filled with great food, great music, great friends, and the presence of the Lord over it all.
Might as well practice for it while you’re here.
As always, make your own application…
Make Your Own Application: Cats,Kids, and Christ
And the lion and lamb will be friends…… not sure our dear pets will be in heaven, but I am pretty sure their lives go on….. I’ll be looking for a wire hair terrier and 3 German Shepherds…. and a white stray cat that came running in the back door, straight up the stairs to my room leaping on my chest, waking me up to a pair of green cat eyes inches from my face,… Yes, I screamed. 😇
Michael,
I to am a heretic and will join you gladly in the pets-don’t-go-to-heaven hell.
Seriously though, we do so many Christians seem so busy in consigning other believers to hell? Don’t y’all have anything better to do in life?
Dang, get a hobby or something. Better yet, get a pet to calm yourself down!!!
My wife and I have a friend who listens to John Macarthur WAY to much and is convinced that animals won’t be in heaven because John said so, despite the numerous scriptures that say otherwise.
Dan,
I believe they have a deficient view of creation and re-creation…and love as the foundation attribute of God.
That’ll rattle some cages…
yes, creation and the sometimes puzzling love of God. If you are a nature and music lover like my wife and I, and I gaze across the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the soothing waves of the Atlantic ocean, and find peace and solace, or look in awe and wonder of the mountains of Glacier Park, how can one possibly think that it will not be a beautiful and glorious in Heaven? Why would heaven be worse? And take life…God gives breath and God takes breath. If God can turn stones to bread (as Satan alluded to) or multiply fishes, how can he not populate eternity with life? I think ALL of us are in for surprises, and by looking at who will be there, some shock as well.
I’m not the slightest bit interested in “heaven”.
The promise is for a new heavens and a new earth that become one place at the return of the Lord.
The whole “creation” will be redeemed.
I anticipate living in Oregon for eternity…without tourists… 🙂
“without tourists” – I like that!~
Good thoughts there. I wonder if many/most/all of our preconceptions of heaven, the afterlife, etc, are way off base. I have not given much thought to how you put it…all creation will be redeemed. Thanks!
As Em would say, good ponders!
“Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.”
(Genesis 2:18–19 ESV)
When we argue a Christian view of marriage we always ground it in the creation narrative.
That same narrative declares that animals were made for human companionship…and I will argue that in the redemption of all things that which is imperfect now will be perfected and my cats will rise with me…
…and as far as the music part,…the image of everyone wearing white robes with pasty white skin and singing in choir’s for all eternity sounds really weird. I would think that too music will be redeemed.
Dan,
A case can be made that our ideas of heaven and hell were taken from Gnostic writings refined by Dante…
Look up “The Apocalypse of St. Peter”…
I’ll check that out. I have heard rumblings of Dante’s impact on our notions. Thanks for your post of 12:17pm also!
“Don’t be confused when you see me and my cats sitting close to the speakers…it really is heaven and God does know I’m there.”..
I like that!
I’ll have my guitars and amps present!
Interesting conversation, Michael and Dan….. Interesting…….
Never figured out what I’m good for in this life…. Can’t wait to see my assignment in Eternity. 😇
Won’t be making music, of that I’m pretty sure…..
Well, we do know there will be cats in heaven……..wait for it…….they’ll need them to string the harps with
Disclaimer: it’s a joke! Granted, a bad one. I love cats
FWIW
I think the animals will inhabit earth
Question – Can God resuscitate our pets? … Hope so…. I’d miss Skipper, Regen, Brazo and Bounder
Of course He can.
Most of mine have checked in at one time or another since their departure…so I’m just waiting for the body and spirit to be reunited…