All God’s Creatures

I am coming out of one of the most difficult weeks I’ve had in a long time.  So I pray that you will bear with me while I share about it and spend time applying God’s precious balm to my hurting heart.  

The story behind the story.  I believe that animal lovers fall in several categories.  #1 – There are those that just don’t care for animals as pets at all – they feel no need for them in their life.  #2 – There are those that will tolerate an animal as a pet, provided they don’t have to put much effort into their care.  #3 – There are those that just love having animals in their life as a pet and shower them with a lot of love and affection.  But, they’re ever aware that they are an animal and their importance has to fall behind the level of love and care of humans and God.  #4 – There are those that are so all consumed with their pet that it’s as though the animal has more importance in their life than humans and/or other important things.

I believe I fall in the category of #3.  I grew up in a family that had pets all the time (dogs) – but they were always outside.  Then when I married we had pets pretty much constantly – some dogs, some cats – some outdoor only, others that were indoor.  My most recent pet, a cat that I adopted almost 17 years ago when he was just over 2 years old – named Harley.  This past Tuesday, July 9, I had to make the difficult decision to bid him goodbye.  For those that love their pets, you know that this is a heart wrenching decision.  

When you’ve had the close companionship of a pet for a long period of time as I had with Harley, the grief can be so very difficult when you release them.  They are so innocent and love us unconditionally, depending on us to make good choices for them.  Now they’re gone and there’s a void in your life that will take time to be resolved.

Those people that fall in the #1 & #2 categories may not get this and may not understand the grief process of those that love their pets deeply.  But the pain is real for the rest of us and it helps to be able to lean into our Christian faith to ease the pain – it’s a good time to find one of the promises from the Lord, such as Psalm 34:18 (VOICE):  “When someone is hurting or brokenhearted, the Eternal moves in close and revives him in his pain.”     

For decades, when someone has lost a pet, you almost always hear that their pet has “crossed over the rainbow bridge” with an assurance that you’ll see them again.  It’s a kind consolation to the grieving pet parent.  But…is that true?

I’m certain there are those that think our pets being in heaven with us is ridiculous & totally unbiblical.  They could be right.  But there are also those that believe we’ll be reunited with our pets in heaven.  This drove me to do some investigating, because I’m in the group that wants to believe we will see our beloved pets again in heaven and I wanted to know what the Bible has to say about it.

As I studied this, it was universally agreed upon by all the sources I read, that the Bible doesn’t speak directly to this issue.  But there were some interesting revelations that I believe point to the idea that we likely will enjoy the presence of animals in heaven.

Let’s begin with the beginning.  In Genesis 1 we have the story of creation.  On day one God commanded light to shine in the darkness.  On day two He created a division of the waters and named the space above the waters “sky.”  On day three He formed the oceans and the land; then commanded the earth to produce all kinds of vegetation.  On the fourth day He created the sun and moon and stars.  On the fifth day He commanded the ocean to be full of living creatures and birds to fly above the earth.  On the sixth day “God said, ‘I command the earth to give life to all kinds of tame animals, wild animals, and reptiles.’” (Gen. 1:24 CEV)  Then in verse 26 (CEV) “God said, ‘Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures.’”  

As I studied this, and read some commentaries, I thought about the order God used as He created the world and the placement of His introduction of animals – they were created before man.  One of the commentaries I read indicated the belief that that fact illustrated what an essential part of His creation the animal world is and that His love extends to all God’s creatures on earth. 

The way I interpret Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 (NLV) indicates animals will end up where humans are – “For the same thing is to happen to both the sons of men and animals. As one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and to be a man is no better than to be an animal. Because all is for nothing. All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.”

So to know the answer to the question about pets going to heaven, maybe the answer is in the perspective of each individual.  For people that fall in the #1 & #2 categories – their idea of joy and peace in eternity would not include pets.  In that case, I don’t believe God would push that on them.  But, for people in #3 & #4 categories – our idea of joy and peace in eternity would include our pets.  We have to trust God to do what is best for us in the here & now, as well as in eternity.  

“…God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son—will he not also freely give us all things?”  (Romans 8:32 GNT)

So we may not have a definitive answer about pets in heaven.  But, I like to think that if everything we desire and need for everlasting joy and fulfillment in the presence of God includes our pets, it will be His desire to give that to us  – all God’s creatures, great and small, are important to Him.  

Written by Karran Martin – July 13, 2024

[All bold emphasis is mine]