Dear
Friend,
Unashamedly
and unapologetically, I confess to being an over-the-top dog lover. In my
lifetime of 83 years, I have never lived in a house without a dog.
My
six-year-old miniature golden doodle, Maggie and I have shared a room and a bed
together for the last six years, and there are few places that I travel where
she doesn’t accompany me, including even prayer meetings. Fortunately, my
wonderful wife Jean shared my same feelings for my special canine friends.
I
wanted to take Maggie with me to California this week when I visit my daughter,
so I purchased a dog carrier. Unfortunately, the 12 by 18-inch bag was just too
tight a squeeze for Maggie, so sadly she will be staying behind as I travel west.
Last
night I took Maggie to stay with my friend Dick Winters for the night as I
wanted to see how she did before I left her with him for the week.
I
confess it was hard for me to even leave her for the night, as we haven’t spent
a day apart since Jean passed away almost two years ago.
My
heart was sad as I watched and heard her whimpering as I said goodbye and
headed for my car.
If
you have never had dogs in your life, you will probably find it hard to
understand the love and comfort they provide and how very much you miss them
when you are separated.
And,
if you have ever gone through the pain of losing your dog, you know the
heartache that such a loss entails.
Like
me, my good friend Dick Winters, loves dogs, and he lost his 18-year-old
Maltese, Chrissey, a few months ago. Broken hearted, Dick asked if I would so a
Celebration of Life for Chrissey. I acknowledged in all my years of ministry, I
had never been asked to do such a service, but loving dogs the way I do, and
knowing the heart of my friend, I eagerly agreed and said yes.
So,
several months ago, 12 of his friends and I, all dog lovers, gathered in chairs
on his front lawn for the service. We prayed, read Scripture, shared dog
stories, and laughed and cried together as we formally said goodbye to his dear
little friend. I closed the service by burying Chrissey’s cremains beside
a little headstone Dick had purchased commemorating her life and death.
Now
I am not one to unequivocally declare that dogs go to heaven, but I do confess
to hoping they do, and I am not alone in feeling this way.
Noted
writer, Randy Alcorn in his classic book Heaven, writes, “ We
believe that God will restore our beloved pets in heaven, not because they have
souls, but as gifts for our pleasure. If we believe God is their Creator, that
he loves us and them, that he intends to restore his creatures from the bondage
they experience because of our sin, then we have biblical grounds for not only
wanting, but expecting that we may be with them again on the New Earth.”
“Jesus
said, “All things are possible.”
“Based
on his declaration and that our all- powerful God created the universe, then we
should anticipate a joyful celebration and reunion with our pets, friends, and
family in heaven- a wonderful, exciting place beyond our wildest imaginations.”
There
are other biblical scholars who feel the same, including John Wesley, the
founder of Methodism, who writes,” Something better remains after death for
these poor creatures… that these., likewise shall one day be delivered from
this bondage of corruption, and shall then receive an ample amends for all
their present sufferings.”
Alcorn
continues, “ Heaven is going to be a place that will refract and reflect in as many
ways as possible, the goodness and joy of our great God, who delights in
lavishing love on his children.” Randy Alcorn, Heaven
I
ask, what greater way could God display his ‘goodness and joy’ than reuniting
us in heaven with our blessed pets?
In a poem about the world to come, theologian, John
Piper writes
“And
as I knelt beside the brook, to drink, eternal life,
I
took a glance across the Golden Grass, and saw my dog, old Blackie, fast as she
could come,
She
leaped the stream- almost - and what a happy gleam was in her eye.
I
knelt to drink, and I knew that I was on the brink of endless joy.
And
everywhere I turned, I saw. A wonder there. “
(John
Piper, Future Grace, Multnomah, 1995, p. 140 Quoted from Heaven, Randy
Alcorn.)
Dogs
in heaven? I confess I don’t know, but I sure hope so.
Yours in faith and friendship,
Tom
and “Maggie”
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