HAVE YOU OR YOUR CHILDREN EVER WONDERED IF PETS, WHEN THEY DIE, GO TO HEAVEN? THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY, BUT I WANT TO PREFACE MY PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE WITH A JOKE THAT IS INSTRUCTIVE FOR US AS WE PRAY FOR OUR HUMAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS:  TWO DOGS AND A CAT HAVE PEACEFULLY PASSED AWAY AND FIND THEMSELVES AT THE “PEARLY GATES” AND WELCOMED BY PETER.  “COME THIS WAY,” HE SAID, “GOD AWAITS YOU AT HIS GOLDEN SEAT OF JUDGMENT.”  THEY PROCEEDED TO THE THRONE WHERE GOD SAID: “AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD FROM YOUR HUMANS, THERE ARE MANY ROOMS IN MY HEAVENLY ABODE AND I CAN TELL YOU, SOME FINE PET CENTERS AS WELL. NOW, TELL ME WHY YOU THINK YOU MERIT ADMISSION HERE.”

THE PIT BULL SAID, “I AM FIERCELY LOYAL TO MY MASTERS AND DEFEND HIS PROPERTY EVERY DAY TO WARD OFF STRANGERS AND, OF COURSE, OTHER DOGS AND ESPECIALLY CATS.”  “FINE,” SAYS GOD: ”YOU MAY COME ON IN.”  THE MINIATURE POODLE THEN JUMPED IN TO SAY, “UNLIKE THAT UGLY PIT BULL I AM THE MOST FAITHFUL, ADORABLE, AND LOVING DOG YOU WILL EVER MEET, GOD. I AM VERY CUTE AS WELL; LET ME LICK YOUR HAND” “NO THANKS,” SAID GOD,” BUT YOU TOO HAVE EARNED MY APPROVAL—COME ON IN.”  AND WHAT ABOUT YOU, MR. CAT?” INQUIRED GOD.  “WELL,” SAID THE CAT, “I AM MUCH MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THESE OTHER IDIOT CRITTERS—AND I BELIEVE, SIR, YOU ARE SITTING IN MY CHAIR!”  THIS IS NOT AN ANECDOTE ABOUT ANIMALS BUT, RATHER, A PARABLE ABOUT PEOPLE—THEIR ALL TOO COMMON HUMAN FOIBLES AND PRETENSIONS.

LET US PRAY:

HEAVENLY FATHER, IN YOUR MERCY HEAR OUR PRAYER.  WE PRAY FOR OURSELVES, SO LIKE THOSE ANIMALS ABOVE WHO WANT TO SIT IN YOUR SEAT OF JUDGMENT TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS THAN YOURS ABOUT OUR NATION, STATE, AND SPARTANBURG COMMUNITY—NOT TO MENTION OUR BELOVED FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.  AND WE ARE QUICK TO LET YOU KNOW HOW INTELLIGENT WE ARE, HOW FIERCELY WE DEFEND YOU AGAINST ALL OTHER GODS AND YOUR OTHER ENEMIES (WHICH WE ARE QUICK TO IDENTIFY), HOW KIND, ADORABLE, AND LOVING WE ARE—ALL TO ASSURE YOU WE MERIT YOUR FAVOR IN YOUR KINGDOM.  WHILE WE MAKE GOLDEN STATUES OF OUR OWN GREATNESS , WE WALK ON “FEET OF CLAY”; WE PRAY THAT WE MAY LEARN TO LOVE AND SERVE YOU HERE ON EARTH AND REMEMBER THAT YOUR GRACE—NOT OUR MERIT-- IS OUR ONLY PATH TO SALVATION.

WE PRAY FOR THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL, THE LEADERS OF OUR NATION, STATE, AND COMMUNITY AND FOR ALL THE NATIONS OF THIS TURBULENT WORLD. WE PRAY FOR THE OPPRESSED AND THE POOR, ACROSS THE WORLD AND RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY-- AND PRAY THAT WE WHO ARE SO RICHLY BLESSED MAY SEE AND THEN MEET THEIR NEEDS. WHEN WE SHOULD DANGERS AHEAD, HELP US READ THE “HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.” WE ALSO PRAY FOR ALL THOSE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY WHO ARE SUFFERING SICKNESS, PAIN, AND LOSS OF LOVED ONES.

GUIDE US, O GOD, BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO LIVE LIVES OF LOVE AND SERVICE TO YOUR WORLD; THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN

Dr. Thomas R. McDaniel, Elder