Grief

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BY COMMENTING
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article

Track Writer

Add to Favorites

by Helen Dowd
05/11/14
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

A friend who had just lost her pet asked me this question:
"What is your opinion on whether or not you think animals go to heaven. I mean, I hear they don't have a soul. But they have such personality and they are so loving and smart. What is your take on this? I just would like to know if you know this answer."

So my cat, Sparky and I had a discussion. My other four cats, Eezy, Scooter, and the kittens, Missy and Cassy, sat listening. Corky, our dog, was the monitor, to make sure that the cats and that “forever-pup”, Peppy didn't interrupt the discussion.

SPARKY: Helen, what do you think about this? Will we be in heaven with you? Will all your pets be there? Will Keeper and Rocky, who have passed on during my lifetime—they are the only names I remember—be there? And all the other pets—the goat, the lamb, the bunnies, the salamander—all the pets I remember you talking about. Will they be there? Will they? Will we?

HELEN: (looking at her pets sitting in front of her, but directing her answer to Sparky). You, our pets, are so important to us that we would like to think that you will be in heaven. No one knows. I have gone to some sources to find out other people's opinions on this. But here I can only tell you what I think.

I liken HEAVEN to a Christmas gift. Under the tree is the most beautiful dazzling package that I have ever laid eyes on. I'm curious as to what is inside, but I am not allowed to open it yet. ...It will be an unbelievable surprise. But it isn't yet time to see what is inside. When I am allowed to open it (when God's time is right) it will be beyond anything I could ever imagine..... First I will see Jesus, my Redeemer. And I will no doubt see all the people—loved ones who have gone before me. That, is mentioned in the Bible. But you know, Sparky, besides that there will be so many surprises that I will be breathless, speechless. Although the package under the tree is dazzling, what is inside is beyond my imagination. It is a secret that God is keeping for me for a future time-Eternity.

SPARKY:(Glaring at Cassy, the youngest, when he tried to interrupt: A sharp bark from Corky put him in his place.): Will we, your pets, be there waiting for you, as many believe?

HELEN: Well, that is going to be one of the surprises.... All we know is that whatever God does, it is good. He has been, and is, preparing a place for us to live with Him forever. It will be like a place that our human minds can't imagine. It is God's big surprise for us...like the package under the Christmas tree.

We do know though, that God created animals, and it is not animals who sinned and messed up the world. It was man. It is not animals who need to be redeemed because of their sin. It is man. It is not animals for whom Christ died. It is man. God's command to us is that we must tell MAN about His salvation. The message is for MAN, not animals....

God is a loving God. He created animals for our pleasure, so as to whether or not you, our own personal pets, will be with us in heaven, we will just have to wait and see. Whatever is there for us, we will not be disappointed. And you, our own personal pets, who have meant so much to us here on earth, will have served your MASTER (God) well, and you will have your own reward. That is a secret surprise too. Only God knows the answer to that question. It is up to us to love and protect everything God has put into our care.

But in the Bible there is a promise that there will be animals in God's plan for our future. It is found in the book of Isaiah - Isaiah 65:25 - "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD."

HELEN: But let me conclude by saying this: If you, our own personal pets are not there, there will be a much better substitute. And God will have His own special surprise for you, too.

Helen Dowd

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR

Reader Count & Comments

Date

Visitor Comments

22 Oct 2016

Hi Helen, I hope you and yours are doing well. I've enjoyed reading your uplifting articles here. "Do Pets Go to Heaven?" is gently written in a way that shows your trust in God and how He will provide for animals in the way that is best. I believe that too. However I think we sometimes miss out on some truths because we naturally tend to "see" in the Bible the things we've always been taught. I would like to recommend a couple of books written by an older Baptist preacher who has put in more than 20,000 hours of Biblical study, specifically to find out the truth, once and for all, about whether animals go to heaven. I think you'll be happily surprised by what he discovered. "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates" and
"Furry Friends Forevermore"
by Gary Kurz.
If you read them, please let me know what you think. I'm Joy and several of my poems from years ago are on your website. God bless you as you continue to serve Him.

Read more articles by Helen Dowd or search for other articles by topic below.

Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)

Read more by clicking on a link:
Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You

...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19

Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38

LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE

FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.