Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church

Waiting for Sasha – The Believer's Certain Hope

Tit 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, (12) training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, (13) waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (14) who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Until last April, we had two labs – Sadie and Sasha. But Sasha (the black one) died of cancer. Sadie and Sasha were constantly together ever since puppyhood.

Now, I don’t claim to know what goes on in Sadie’s mind, but we have noticed a definite change in her behavior since Sasha left. She is a real people dog, but she chooses to sleep on the back porch and she spends lots of time during the day laying out back on the lawn, watching. So we wonder – is she waiting for Sasha? [As I write this, little does Sadie know that she is about to be joined by Cinder, a black lab/golden retriever puppy, in just a couple of days].

As I think about this, I am reminded of the Christian’s great hope as we spend our years in this present world. We are people who are waiting and watching. We are waiting for the appearing of the glory of Jesus Christ when He comes to and for us. Faith does this. It waits, and it watches because it believes Christ’s promises:

Joh 14:1-3 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (2) In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

The purpose of this blog is to help and encourage people who are or have been targets of wicked ones we call domestic abusers. Christ gives us that encouragement in these, as the Bible calls them, precious and very great promises. We watch. And we wait. Not for an empty hope, but for a hope that will never disappoint us.
The wicked will not always prosper. The Day is coming in fact when they will never prosper again. No mention of their name will ever be heard again. Perfect justice will be effected by the King. And we will not always be waiting. As soon as Christ arrives, the waiting is over. He is coming and we are going to be there!
I don’t know if Sadie is waiting for nothing. I used to be very sure that when an animal is dead, it’s dead. Animals aren’t people. They don’t have souls like human beings have souls. They aren’t created in the image of God. All those things are true. But, I also have come to know the Lord better during my lifetime and I know this – the “place” He is preparing for us is beyond anything we could imagine. His goodness to us exceeds anything we could dream of. The Lord, I think, is full of surprises. And it would not surprise me at all if the new creation resurrection includes a restoration of the things we loved and lost in this present life.
Maybe we will see Sasha again? Sound corny? A bit I suppose. It’s speculation I know. I’m not teaching these things as fact by any means. But still, knowing the goodness of Christ, I’m not ready to be certain that Sadie is waiting for nothing.
And I do know with certain certainty that YOU, Christian, are not waiting for nothing. He is coming. We are going to be raised. The new heavens and earth are real.
See you there.
 

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7 Comments

  1. Bill McDonald

    Jeff,
    I’ve long felt the same as you about the things of this earth being carried forward to the New Heaven and New Earth. We can also take comfort in C.S. Lewis’ postulations along the same lines, so if we’re crazy, we at least look nice!
    I personally wonder if when Adam fell we lost more than our theology can adequately describe. I don’t think it is unreasonable to imagine that just as our relationship with God was broken at Eden, so humanity’s relationship with all other creatures was torn as well. Plants and animals lost their link through us, the designated stewards of God’s handiwork, back to their Creator.
    “Cursed is the ground because of you;
    through painful toil you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.
    It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.
    By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
    until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
    for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.
    “The Curse” (not God punishing us, but the natural result of our sin) suggests to me that we were originally in close communion with nature and our fall with God broke that relationship. Broken relationships produce bitter harvests indeed.
    That is why he entire creation groans for restoration along with us.
    And so does Sasha at whatever level she feels the rift.
    Maranatha Lord Jesus! Please come soon! Please heal us.
    Q!

    • Jeff Crippen

      Thank you. I agree. Back to Eden we go. Apologies for taking so long to approve this comment. It went to spam for unknown reasons.

  2. Notlongnow

    This is beautiful, and I’ve always believed our pets are in Heaven, and I’m so glad Sadie gets a new mate in the meantime..

  3. Z

    I needed this today. To be reminded that the wicked won’t ALWAYS prosper. (They surely have in my lifetime.) That we will not always have to wait for all the promises of God, Jesus’ our King’s return, God’s Judgment in Righteousness and Justice. God’s Holy Wrath poured out on the “prospering wicked” who got their “rewards” in this world they coveted. They will be blotted out and remembered no more. We will have eternal paradise with our Savior! Needed this encouragement. Thank you.
    And, my thoughts on animals in Heaven:
    Jesus will return on a white horse, with His army on white horses! (Rev. 19:11-16) So there ARE already animals in Heaven! I believe there are many Scriptures that allude to the New Earth being a recreation of Eden before the fall. That would include animals. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. So if He put animals in Eden-not for us to hunt or eat but to be companions to Adam and Eve who were to name and care for them, I believe God intends to recreate His world the way He meant it to be. Animals included.
    The animals suffer death and disease because of Adam’s sin. They are innocent. Romans 8:19-21 says all creations awaits freedom from their bondage when Jesus returns.
    Well, that’s my belief (and hope and prayer) anyway!
    And yes, Pastor, I agree we serve a creative and surprising loving God who would be capable of reuniting us in Heaven with our animal “gifts from above” that we loved on earth!

  4. Jessica

    So sorry about your loss of Sasha…it’s always heartbreaking to see beloved animal friends mourning each other. I do believe they will be waiting for us in heaven as there are animals there already, surrounding God’s throne, and the Bible says that every ‘creature’ will give account. And it’s the animals whom God is so proud of in Job, you don’t see him going on and on about us like that…they must be there!
    You might already be aware of this but I just had to mention about being careful when bringing a new puppy into the family when there’s an older dog, as the older dog might feel that they are being replaced, even though of course they aren’t, and are well loved. It’s an ingrained pack mentality thing that might not be there for all, but it does happen.
    After read articles about it and we made sure that our older dog was always first in everything, food, treats, out the door, affection, regular spot on bed, etc., and all was fine, though sometimes the new younger dog was a little put-out, she’d pout a bit, but our sweet older was very happy and they got along beautifully. Just had to share that.
    Blessings to the newest member of your family and to Sadie…who will one day see her Sasha again.

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