Greetings Sisters and
Brother of Godly compassion…
Jonah 4:11 And should I not be concerned about
Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty
thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also
many animals?"
Today I assert God’s care
and compassion for animals.
Was God being trivial
when he mentioned animals to Jonah? I think not. The animals are mentioned
right along with the city of Nineveh and more than one hundred twenty thousand
people who seem to be ignorant of their sin or undirected toward righteousness.
And God cares about all
of them!
To reinforce the idea
that God cares about animals, let me remind you that they too are to be given
rest on the Sabbath…
Exodus 20: but the seventh day is a sabbath to
the Lord your
God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter,
nor your male or female servant, nor your animals,
There are other instances, particularly in Psalms in which animals are
mentioned in good regard.
Think about it, when you find a gift for a young child, often it is a
stuffed animal, bear, bunny, chimpanzee, dog, cat. We seem to have a built-in
knowledge that animals are creatures of consolation and protection.
From the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church (official
position statements of the church), which I teach at Lay Academies…
Animal Life
We support regulations that protect and conserve the life
and health of animals, including those ensuring the humane treatment of pets,
domesticated animals, animals used in research, wildlife, and the painless
slaughtering of meat animals, fish, and fowl. We recognize unmanaged and
managed commercial, multinational, and corporate exploitation of wildlife and
the destruction of the ecosystems on which they depend threatens the balance of
natural systems, compromises biodiversity, reduces resilience, and threatens
ecosystem services. We encourage commitment to effective implementation of
national and international governmental and business regulations and guidelines
for the conservation of all animal species with particular support to safeguard
those threatened with extinction.
My pastory statement is this…a genuine respect for God and
all that he has created, which he declared “good”, includes at least an
appreciation and gratitude for the pets he brings into our homes, the various
foods which nurture us, such as chicken, beef, fish, and the work animals such
as horses. We still measure automotive force by “horsepower”.
Sherry and I have four cats.
It is appropriate to be thankful for our pets.
Peace, Mike
