Q&A

Is it appropriate to pray for pets that are sick?

God cares about every portion of your life … the big things and the small. Lots of Christians admit to praying for a parking place at the mall. The needs of a living creature are certainly more important than that.

The Bible is clear that God values even animal life; animals are a part of His creation. There seems to be a glimpse of this in Jonah 4:11 (NIV): “But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?”

It is more pronounced in the New Testament. In Luke 12, Jesus addresses the eternal value of a soul, as well as the value of small things. Verses 6 and 7 say, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Children can learn compassion and kindness by watching how adults treat animals.

Yes, it is appropriate to pray for sick or injured pets, as well as for other small areas of our lives … but Christians should pray far more about things of eternal value. We just need to keep things in perspective.

 — Ken Horn

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