Apples
The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. Romans 8:21
All of us have had a favorite pet; it is the perfect match for our individual personality. Although exhausting at times, we would most likely go to great lengths to save them. And then there is always that nagging thought: Will I see them again in heaven? Louis Lotz shares a great story and I like his way of thinking.
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We bought Apples as a pup for twenty dollars, and I think the guy would have taken ten. On the drive home, we had a family discussion about what to name our new pooch. Goldie? Coco? Boots? We had a bag of apples in that back seat, and the pup kept trying to climb into the bag. “We ought to call her Apples,” said my six-year-old daughter.
Apples had melting brown eyes and an expressive face. When I came home from work, she would greet me with an exuberant bark and lick my hand like it was an ice cream cone. When I went jogging, she would tag along, giving me moral support. After dinner when I would sit in my chair and read, she would lay her head on my lap, gaze up at me, and agree with whatever I was thinking. She never seemed to want anything other than to be close to me, to defend me, to love me.
The British poet Lord Byron said of one dog that it possesses “all the virtues of man without the vices.” That was Apples; all virtues and no vices. She was a loyal friend, a tireless playmate, a consoling therapist. She lived life in the slow lane, took lots of naps and lots of walks, and loved the outdoors. I remember thinking, I should be like that.
Do dogs go to heaven? I don’t know, but when the apostle Paul says that “creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay,” one gets the impression that the final redemption will be cosmic. That is, God’s whole creation, spoiled by sin, will be redeemed. Does that include oceans, mountains, trees, and dogs? I would think so. My vet has a sign hanging in her office. It reads: Heaven is the place where all the dogs you’ve ever loved come running to greet you. I’ve known a few dogs I wouldn’t mind spending eternity with.
[He] possessed Beauty without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, and all the virtues of Man, without his Vices. —Lord Byron
Gracious Lord, thank You for our pets that teach us life-lessons better than many humans can do. Help us to use these nuggets of wisdom to live more virtuous lives. AMEN.