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The week before Christmas our chuch choir performed a beautiful Advent cantata which I had the privilege of participating in as a reader. I was struck by a few passages from Isaiah which were featured in the arrangement and how much application the book has, not only to us as followers of a Messiah who came as a humble baby in a manger, but also to God's creatures and the hope He has in store for them.
A fundamental post, rich with biblical references to God's concern for animals, from Dean Ohlman of The Wonder of Creation ...
One of the many key indications of the reliability of the Bible is its addressing the broad span of the reality of life on earth. I’m only vaguely knowledgeable of the scriptures of other religions, but I think it’s safe to say that the Bible is unparalleled in its “heart” for animals—from their origin to their destiny. They were created by God before mankind (Gen. 1), they were put under man’s authority and responsibility (Gen. 1:20-30; Psalm 8:4-8), they were saved from destruction in the flood (Gen. 7:6-10), and they are remembered by their Creator who covenanted with them that they would continue under His protection and in His care (Gen. 9:8-16).
It's becoming a bit of a Christmas Eve tradition to share this reflection from Nancy Janisch of Conversation in Faith, a heartfelt and hopeful complement for 'the night before' ...
When you were young, did anyone ever tell you that animals can talk at midnight on Christmas? I don’t remember who told me, but I do remember looking expectantly at our family Dachshund for several years on Christmas Eve. For the record, he never said anything. At least not in a human language.
A poignant reflection from Nancy Janisch of Conversation in Faith on how the biblical concept of sabbath, or "a period of rest" (Dictionary.com), is meant for animals as well ...
The Bible doesn’t have much to say about God’s relationship with animals. This isn’t surprising since the Bible is part of God’s revelation to humans and thus the relationship between God and humanity is the focus of the story. God’s revelation to animals, whatever it is, is unknown to us. Since animals are not storytellers - at least in the way we tell stories - it seems logical that God’s revelation to animals would be different from God’s revelation to us and appropriate for and intelligible to animals.
Joe Bowyer of Logansport, Indiana's Pharos-Tribune wrote a beautiful and compassionate column this past May, titled "We Should All Show Kindness to God's Creatures." It was prompted by the sad death of one of the orphaned wild bunnies he was caring for, which he discovered while mowing grass at a local factory. He writes of taking them in:
Don't let anyone tell you a little bunny isn't worth caring about. All of God's creatures have worth. We only have to look for it to see it.
We're starting our second-to-last FAQ blog series this week with a question which many of us have wrestled with in a deeply personal way. If you've ever loved a companion animal, or even admired another animal from any distance, and you share in the Christian hope of heaven, you can't help but wonder if you'll have a chance to see those animals again. In fact, many of us find ourselves longing for that to be the case, we miss them so much, and can't imagine their unique personalities and the special relationship we had with them being lost forever.
In yesterday's post, Cal DeWitt pointed us to God's affection and care for the hippo, a creature which we weren't meant to try to hunt, control or domesticate. But this real-life story of Jessica the Hippo might just be one special exception to the rule, because of a bond she formed and chooses to maintain with the South African family who rescued her as a baby. It might even be a glimpse of the peaceable kingdom, in which we'll be able to live and play even with the majestic hippo!
A hopeful vision for animals and our relationship to them, and one that pays due honor to the Creator, to start off the new year from Dean Ohlman of The Wonder of Creation ...
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. ...
Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. (Psalm 148:1-6, 11-13, ESV, emphasis added)
With "Christmas in Yellowstone" airing again tomorrow, Sunday evening on PBS, I thought I'd re-share this review. The episode is well worth watching this season, for many reasons ...
PBS Nature had another mesmerizing episode over the weeked, "Christmas in Yellowstone." It features the wildlife of the park as they try to survive the harsh winter, and you feel yourself growing attached to the fate of different creatures such as the isolated red fox and wounded otter. Breathtaking landscapes are also a draw, as is the thread of human connection to Yellowstone woven throughout. Here are a couple of previews:
Nancy Janisch of Conversation in Faith provides an appropriate, and happy, bookend to recent posts on animal sentience and suffering with a look at the playfulness of God's creatures, and what that might mean for how we relate to them ...
I have written twice before on my blog about play (here and here). An article about play in Science News caught my eye this week, which previews quite an interesting article in October’s The Scientist. Did you know rats laugh? There is evidence that birds play, and octopuses and turtles and wasps play also. I wonder why that surprises us?
So, does every living thing play? Is play part and parcel of being an animal? Or is play so useful that it has evolved repeatedly? No one knows the answer to that, yet. And if play is useful, in what way is it useful? Researchers have some ideas, but no firm answers on that yet either.
January 16, 2012