Word-Filled Wednesday ~#145~ All Dogs Go to Heaven? Really?

"And God said, 'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.' And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to thier kinds. And God saw that it was good.

"The God siad, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creature that move along the ground.'

"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female He created them.

"God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increasing number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'"
~Genesis 1:24-28 [emphasis, mine]

"Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchnaged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds, and animals and reptiles . . . They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator ~ Who is forever praised. Amen."
~Romans 1:22-23, 25 [emphasis, mine]

I love animals. Really LOVE animals. The only times in my life I've never had a pet, preferably a dog, has been when I lived in rentals that forbade pets. At one time in my youth, I had: 2 dogs, 1 mama cat and 5 kittens, a duck and a crow. It was a lovely menagerie.

I believe that, as Scripture plainly states, animals ~ and ALL of creation ~ is a gift to us from The Creator, God Almighty. And as gifts, they are here for our use and pleasure and, yes, in many cases, to love. BUT . . . they are NOT to be worshiped. 

People like the militant sillies in organizations such as PETA, worship the creation and they worship at the expense of their morals, their finances and in increasing number, their sanity. It seems that every news story about them is yet another expression of the futile scraping and searching of pitiable lives without Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Yes, love your pets; yes, protect animals from being abused; yes, appreciate what God has made and given us to enjoy ~ but ~ DO NOT worship them. Don't go to the rediculous, border-line insanity of American PETA DEMANDING that the oldest pub in Britan should change it's name from from Ye Olde Fighting Cocks because it offends chickens. Really? REALLY? 

It seems that these poor people are looking for meaning in their lives and they go to pitiable and often to deadly extremes to replace a relationship with God ~ just as Scirpture said they would ~ with created things. They are looking for significance without relationship in the One Who created them and can give them eternal significance.

In my humble opinion, human life . . . with a soul . . . made in the image of God . . . is of more importance than animals who have no soul. Even as much as I love them. If you want to work of something really important, with eternal impact, let's get Roe vs. Wade repealed.

And yes, it would be so lovely to get to heaven and see some of my favorite pets run up and greet me as I arrive ~ my sweet kitty Boots, our wonderful Sheltie, Hickory, 
and our current cutie, Maggie Mae ~ but it won't happen. Now, we know that there will be at least 4 horses in Heaven (Rev. 19:11), but will there be more to go around for those of us to want to to take a scenic ride around Heaven? I doubt it. These things are not mentioned in the Bible, so either they aren't there, or it will be a wonderful surprise.

I'm good with surprises, but until then, I'll love our little Maggie and any other sweet pets the Lord puts into our lives and enjoy them while I may, while letting Him give meaning to my life.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><