Every time I pull up to our house after a long day. I know I will see the silhouettes of our two pugs in the front window, sitting on their bench, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their owners. As soon as they see my car, they immediately jump up and run to the back door where they greet me with the most excited noises and tail wags. I feel like the most important person ever!

How empty would our world be without animals in it?

God spent two whole days of creation filling His landscape with all kinds of scaly, feathered, and furry creatures. From turtles to turkeys, bugs to baboons, the variety of creatures he came up with attests to His brilliance and creativity! 

Years later when He decided to wipe out the earth with a flood, He made a special provision for His animals. He gave instructions for a giant floating zoo to be constructed so that He could save them from destruction. He took care to make sure each of the species survived!

Throughout the Bible, God lets us know how much He cares for His animals. “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.” (Psalm 50:10-11) Every single animal on this earth is His, and He knows each one! 

 ”He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.” (Psalm 147:9) For each and every creature He created, He also established a way for them to sustain themselves. Out of the hundreds and thousands of species, not one creature goes hungry!

And God has given us dominion over his beloved creatures. Animals can serve a number of purposes: providing food, helping with labor and transportation, and even initially as sacrifice for sin. But best of all, animals are given to us to love and enjoy as pets.

It has been proven that pets increase dopamine and serotonin levels (hormones that make us feel happy), and studies have shown that pets can even help lower a person’s blood pressure! 

Our pug Lola will always have a special place in my heart because Lexi helped pick her out. Lexi was a huge animal lover. Growing up, she couldn’t get enough of Animal Planet, and she could spout off every detail about every dog breed at a young age. She and Lola formed a special bond immediately. And two years later, when Lexi moved on to heaven, it was Lola who curled up beside me and gave me comfort while I shed many a tear.

Later that same year, I knew Mother’s Day was going to be hard. That morning as I was battling a heavy heart, my family came into my bedroom. In my son’s hands was a fluffy ball of pug puppy. Leo shifted my mood and brought so many smiles that day. Oh how I wish Lexi could meet him!

I can’t count the number of times these two dogs, and other pets before them, have provided entertainment for our family. Hamsters, hermit crabs, fish, guinea pigs, rats, cats…we have gone through many different varieties. We’ve spent hours upon hours playing with them, laughing at their quirky antics, taking them on walks and other adventures, and curling up with them on our laps. And I can’t count the times our pets have given me comfort or lifted my spirits. My dogs in particular have been there for me like loyal friends, loving me unconditionally and keeping me company when I feel sad or alone. 

I’m so thankful that God decided to add animals to this world. I thank Him for the memories I have of Lexi running up the porch steps with pockets full of frogs, or the way she tried to save injured birds or baby rabbits she would find in our yard. And I am thankful for the companionship my fur babies have provided over the years. Somehow the love of an animal can bring healing to the heart in a way nothing else can. 

Animals are a direct sign of God’s love and care for us. What a gift they are!

How have animals helped you heal? I’d love to know in the comments below!

“You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,

The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

Psalm 8:6-9