HOLLY NOTE: When Barry sent his article to us yesterday, it was originally penned to his wife whe she was very distraught. Barry writes, "A few years ago we had to put one of our dogs down and through the tears my wife asked....do I think we'll see him in heaven. After she went to bed, I wrote this answer." Barry covers some points I should have in yesterday's article Will We See Our Pets in Heaven? so we're grateful he gave permission to post his message.
Barry Matiez
Hazlet, NJ
Do dogs go to heaven? That's a question asked by many a dog lover who has experienced the loss of a beloved canine friend. So let's examine that question for a moment.
How do we get to Heaven?
To get to heaven, we must first pass from this life…of course…but what does it take to get there? Well, it's not something we can do by ourselves. There is no act or work that can buy us a pass to the hereafter. To get to heaven…we must be saved….our souls must be born again, not of water but of the spirit. And…only Jesus Christ can do that saving. It was His death on the cross that paid the price for our salvation. So, to be saved, we obviously need a soul.
This begs the question….do dogs have souls? Anyone that has gazed into the warm eyes of their canine partner would say unequivocally…YES. Those deep, caring, understanding eyes that seem to know our very moods and thoughts MUST be the window to a soul! However, the Bible never speaks about the soul nature of animals. God is concerned with our salvation and that's what the Gospels are about. Jesus is not concerned with the pets of the day! But, by omission, it doesn't mean that a dog has no soul. God created the heavens, the earth and all the creatures that inhabit it…including you and me. If He wanted to give dogs a type of soul…even if other animals do not have one…then He could do it. Not a soul as ours is, but something slightly different. Perhaps in His infinitely wise plan, He chose the dog to be our link to the rest of His earthly creation. Perhaps that is why dogs have been mankind's companion throughout history.
Saved From What?
We have talked about the need of the soul's salvation to get to Heaven….but saved from what? Jesus died on the cross to do one thing….save us from sin. He died with the sins of the world on His shoulders so that through acceptance of Him; we will appear spotless on that final day of judgment. That's a hard thing to grasp…but that's what He did….praise His name. Here again, the Bible does not address the sin nature of dogs. Nor would we even begin to think Jesus went through the horror of the cross to save dogs. Since Adam and Eve, humankind has lived under the curse of sin. No matter how “good” we think we are….we are all wretched sinners who, left to our own devices would be doomed to eternity in Hell…totally separated from The Father. Jesus came to earth as our last chance…our way out…He and He alone was the only one that could pay the price and wash clean those who are called to His name and purpose.
So..where does that leave our puppies? Perhaps….they don't need to be saved because they have not sinned? What a thought!! Maybe the dog, in a sense, never left “The Garden”. Dogs never needed Ten Commandments to live by as humans do. Dogs if left on there own, form caring social structures. Dogs don't steal (OK...OK…but that's more mischief then theft!!), dogs don't kill for fun unless we train them to do so, dogs don't covet belongings (OK…OK maybe a shoe or two…but that's mischief again) and dogs are trustworthy up to the point that they would die for you. What greater love is there then when one would lay down his life for his friends?
The Potter's Gift
All this being said, we may ask, if God does have a plan for us…then just how does the dog fit in. Obviously we have been linked with dogs from the beginning. If it is meant to be, why don't they live longer? Why do we mourn so at their loss? Doesn't God care?
Make believe for a moment, that you are a potter. Capable of taking an inanimate lump of clay and creating unique, individual pieces from that clay. Now pretend that you have created a piece and presented it as gift to a special friend. Imagine your joy as you hear the thank-yous and see your handiwork proudly displayed and cared for by your friend. Now, imagine that your friend drops that clay piece…that piece he or she loved and cherished, and it breaks into hundreds of bits. The object is gone…never to be fixed…and your friend is in tears. Lots of emotions…not only loss of something they loved, but also a feeling that they weren't careful enough with it…that they should have taken better care of it. How does that make you, the potter, feel? Well, if it was me..I would still feel honored!! Sure, I would be upset that my friend was grieving, but I would be honored that they loved that piece so much and took such good care of it while they had it. I would also know, as a good potter, that I could create another piece…never identical…but just as worthy.
See what I'm getting at here? The love we show for a dog…and the pain we feel at their loss….is all glorifying to God. He alone provides all things and we are to be good stewards of those blessings while we have them. Although God grieves with us as we weep for our lost friend….because He feels for us…He feels our pain…I'm sure He smiles too…knowing that such a love was felt for a small part of His creation. He made that dog….and in caring…loving…and even crying….we glorify the Creator. He also knows that someday, when all truths are known, that you will understand too, that He can create many dogs, not identical but all worthy. He is the master potter!!!
Our life in the flesh is fleeting, and, so are all the things we possess and have…except for the love of God. He promised He would never leave us or forsake us…and we can trust in that promise even at times when the heart aches so much you don't know which way to turn. Turn to God and pray…no need for words…just BE with Him…He WILL heal the brokenhearted.
Paradise?
If Heaven is supposed to be paradise, then won't my dogs have to be there when I arrive? How else would I be happy through eternity?
Let's get one thing clear, God knows what we will need in Paradise. If we will need dogs then dogs we shall have. But this question will only be answered when we arrive. The song lyrics say “turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And, the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His Glory and Grace”. When we get to heaven, I imagine that being in the physical presence of God Almighty will be paradise enough…..and that's an understatement!! Try to imagine that, the Creator of all things, the savior of your very soul…putting His hand on your shoulder and saying, “Well done my good and faithful servant”!!! He'll know everything about you. He'll even know that you loved one of His gifts so much, that while still in the flesh you wondered if that gift would be waiting for you in Paradise.
So, as you walk through those Holy Gates and down the golden streets of Heaven with the Lord…..maybe….just maybe….you will hear a familiar bark in the distance or feel a long missed lick on the back of your hand.
We just need to Praise God and give Him thanks for the dogs He has gifted to us over the years….and thank Him too for giving us minds and hearts and souls…that are able to ponder the question….will they be waiting for us in Heaven. Know that whatever the ultimate answer is….so long as it is God's plan…we can trust that it's the right one.
