One of the questions pastors are asked from time to time is, "Are there dogs in heaven?" My prompt response often surprises people. "Yes, of course!"
Now, I'm not one to give an answer just to make someone feel better. Yes, I have a pastor's heart and I want to provide consolation whenever possible, but I also need to be faithful to my scriptural understandings. However, on this question of pets in heaven, I feel pretty confident.
At the heart of my confident answer are texts such as the creation story where God calls all that has been created, "good." Why wouldn't God want animals to be part of God's kingdom and new world since he calls them good?
Peering into the future, the prophet, Isaiah offers this wonderful vision of that future kingdom when he writes, "The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall die down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox." - Isaiah 11:1-7
Turning to the last book of the Bible, we are given a glimpse of what worship in heaven is like in the present moment. In Revelation chapter four we read, "Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle." The animal references emphasize the totality of creation worshipping God in heaven.
And yes, tree huggers, I also believe that heaven will include nature as well! Even the rocks and trees join the animal kingdom in offering their praise to God as the creator of the world. Listen to Psalm 148:9-13 - "Mountains and hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted his glory is above earth and heaven."
Last Christmas Eve toward the beginning of the 11 P.M. candlelight service, a large VERY friendly dog came down one of the sanctuary aisles. I was offering the welcome at the time and I had to do a double take to make sure that I was seeing what I was seeing. The dog went up to a church member and she kindly escorted the friendly beast toward the nearest exit.
I continued on with the opening welcome and was interrupted a 2nd time as the dog had eluded the member's grasp and came down a different sanctuary aisle. We all laughed again and I'm told that once an usher was able to get the dog outside, a very relieved owner was there to take him home.
One of the Christmas hymns in the United Methodist Hymnal is called, "The Friendly Beasts." It's a fun hymn with a beautiful melody in telling the story of Jesus' birth. Here are the words to the final verse: "Thus all the beasts, by some good spell, in the stable dark were glad to tell of the gifts they gave Emmanuel, the gifts they gave Emmanuel."
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism strongly believed that animals would be part of God's heavenly kingdom.
And let's not forget Mark Twain's take on all of this. "Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."
.
No comments:
Post a Comment