“Is he in Heaven, I HAVE TO KNOW!”

Please note, this BLOG is not meant to be controversial or incite debate.

Today has been a hard day, My family had to say goodbye to our dog Max. Max was truly a great dog. He was obedient and loving, and he brought my family much love and joy over the years. Pets are truly a gift from God and when we lose a pet, we are often left with the question…What happens to our pets after death? Will I see my pet again? Are there pets in Heaven? To be honest, this is a question that comes up more than you think in the church. The truth is Scripture does not give us a clear answer in this area. We do know there are animals in Heaven as scripture does reference some, Rev 19:11 being one example. But will these animals be the ones we knew and loved, for that is not clear.

Pets have always been a part of my family’s life. We have three dogs, Max being the oldest, a horse, and a goat. Two of our dogs are great, but one of them, well, he is the devil. He is a teacup yorkie and was sent here to torcher me. I am also not a fan of the goat either. I did not even buy the goat, he just showed up and he has a real attitude problem, so needless to say, he and I do not get along. So, when I think of Heaven and pets, I would really have to question these two. Of course, I am joking here but this leads me to a story I wanted to share.

There was once an old country preacher who was asked this very question, “Is my dog in Heaven?” The lady who asked this was up in years and her husband had longed passed. She had no children but only a dog who she loved like a child. This dog provided her with companionship and was truly a blessing from God. When her dog died, she struggled with the burden of his death. She went to her pastor and said, “Pastor I have to know if my dog is in Heaven.” The pastor responded, “Scruffy was a fine dog and he truly fulfilled his purpose.” But she persisted, “Is he in Heaven, I HAVE TO KNOW!” The old preacher thought for a minute and said, “Ma’am, when you get to Heaven and see Jesus, if He is not enough when you get there, I am sure Scruffy will be there too.”

So, even in my pain of saying goodbye today to my precious friend, I am not sharing to tell you what I do not know but what “I DO KNOW”…and that is my Father is GOOD (Ps 100) and I put my full trust in Him in ALL situations (Rom 8:28). For He is enough!