Sparky seems to be our de-facto neighborhood dog. A couple times each day, he’ll do his obligatory stroll up-and-down our block with one of his “parents.” Our children thoroughly look forward to the possibility of even seeing him through our front windows, let alone the thrill if he’s walking towards them on the sidewalk. All he needs to do is place his front paws up on the stroller with his own canine-version smile and a joyous tail-wag while allowing them to pet his fluffy goodness (and maybe even one of the “parents” will hand off a treat to be shared with him) and their day is made, leading to smiles and giggles whenever his name is mentioned the rest of the day. Granted, perhaps they’re easily amused, but sometimes the animals have a way of uplifting the soul that we cannot overlook.
One of Sparky’s “parents,” unfortunately, is wheelchair-bound, which doesn’t always make getting to the sidewalk as easy as the rest of us take for granted, let alone all other aspects of life. But time and time again, there they go: up and down the street. I like to think they bring joy to each other’s lives, but they also certainly do to other passers-by. I don’t know their full story, but I like to think Sparky, as many other pets are seemingly divinely-wired to do, reassures his “father” with an unwavering love and compassion no matter the physical ability or how difficult a particular day or part of life may be. And so, in their own precious way, as they stroll down the block, they proclaim their own take of the Gospel: a holy determination to move forward to a cross and emerge with new life to share with others, and an eternal insistence that it will never be done so alone.
So, this weekend, we’ll do our part to bless the joy-sharers in our lives. We’ll bless actual animals Saturday at 4pm on our lawn, and then extend blessings to those who cannot join us during our worships this weekend as images are shared with canine and feline and whatever other version smiles. And, in doing so, hopefully the “parents” receive a little extra holy reassurance: of the God with an unwavering adoration of them, of the One that not even death stood a chance in stopping from bringing new life to the most awe-inspiring fruition. But for the precious members of Creation who seem to always manage to find their own wondrous way of revealing that boundless love, we most certainly give thanks to God, indeed!
In Christ,
Pastor Brad