This is one of those things that some will probably think is not very valuable.
I'm just putting it out there for a little levity.
Jesus said,
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
I really like my avatar picture. I believe Jesus loved that donkey. I believe that the donkey knew exactly Who was sitting on it. And I like this story, too:
Balaam’s Donkey
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.
22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides.
25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.
26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.
28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”
Sometimes I hope that for those of us who have lost our beloved pets, there will be a place for them in the new heavens and new earth.
But then I think, man, there has been one heck of a lot of animals that have roamed this earth. Dinosaurs and everything else. And I wonder, why if their spirit, like ours, goes back to God who gave it, would God not raise them back to life?
But then I think, Jesus didn't die as a sin-offering for animals.
But then I think, so why would they not have a place in the new heavens and new earth since they haven't really "sinned"?
And I think, if God is going to make all things new...and they are a part of this present earth, why can't there be a place for them in the new one?
I like thinking about that stuff because it's harmless and it doesn't involve "evil."
A lot of us can see and appreciate how our pets and animals have personalities of their own. I just love that about animals. (My friend has had all these dogs and things and they LOVE me! They get so excited when they see me.)
I can also empathize with those who don't care for dogs and cats.
But I just think it's amazing how they can see things we can't. They can hear things we can't. I just wonder....
But no more pets for me, at least for the time being. I really, REALLY, don't like cleaning out litter boxes and I'm allergic to pet hair. And birds and other animals can carry all sorts of diseases that can transfer to humans. Maybe in the new heaven and earth that stuff can all be worked out of them, like all our sin will be worked out of us?
I don't know but I just wonder.... Because some animals are just so sweet and harmless and loving. Especially little kittens and puppies.