For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? (Ecc 3:19-31)
There has been much debate and there are many opinions on where our pets go when they die. God loves all his creatures - so much so that he entrusted them to our care (read Genesis). He provided for their safety and their continued existence on this earth with the onset of the great flood (also Genesis). He reminds us in Job that all creatures are in his hands. In Hosea, he again reminds us that someday "all" may lie down in safety. Isaiah tells us essentially the same, yet takes it one step further telling us that "all" will lie down together. And Luke tells us that God does not forget any of them. We know that there must be animals in heaven. Jesus will come riding on his white horse (Revelation) and we know that there are birds (also Revelation). So why not our pets?
In His great plan, I don't believe He's forgotten to include our beloved pets. I am not a biblical scholar (I read and interpret based on my faith and what the Lord reveals to me through prayer and meditation). I know that in heaven, there is no pain, there is no sorrow. There is only joy. I know that the birds sing songs of praise to Him (Psalms) and that the beasts of the field have served Him.
I know that many of the parables we've come to know and memorize translate to deeper meaning. Maybe some of them do not need to be translated. Maybe some of them are to be taken exactly as written. Maybe God's plan does include our pets. I believe it does. They may not have a soul, but that doesn't mean that they aren't welcome in heaven.
We all have an image in our minds as to what it will be like when we enter Heaven. We will meet Jesus, face to face. We will be presented to the Father of ALL creation and our loved ones and friends will be waiting to greet us. I tend to imagine after that, that I will be reunited with those beloved furry creatures who loved me unconditionally while on earth and whose very presence brought joy and peace to my earthly life. I believe that the Son of Man waits for me to enter into His kingdom, and I believe waiting with Him, are my beloved pets.
