A Dog's Eye View

Psalm 90:4

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

⁴ For in Your sight a thousand years
are like yesterday that passes by,
like a few hours of the night.

She was almost four years old when she came to our home from a friend who couldn’t stand her continuous barking. We named her Lucille Ball, or Lucy for short, because she was short, red-headed, and yapped so much. Although small dogs have never been my first choice, she captured our hearts. We got her a German shepherd/black lab puppy as a companion whom we named Cleopatra or Cleo for short.

Lucy lorded it over Cleo for a year or so even though Cleo grew to five times her size. Then one day Lucy stole a piece of meat right out from under Cleo’s nose. Suddenly Cleo understood that it was settlement time. With an angry growl Cleo took off after Lucy. They dashed madly about the house. For the first time Lucy saw how close she was to death. She fled at absolutely her top speed around and around the house. Cleo, breathing fire and brimstone, was right on her tail. Although Cleo was faster than Lucy, Lucy’s maneuverability made the mad race fairly even.

For a long time I had been wondering when Cleo would suddenly discover that she was no longer a small puppy under Lucy’s domination. I stood there shaking with laughter. Pretty soon I had to sit down because I was laughing so hard. Eventually both dogs ran out of breath and gave in to the weariness they felt. A new order had been established. Lucy still tried to lord it over Cleo, but it was only half-hearted because Cleo had established herself as top dog forever.

Many years later Lucy had a stroke. We had a vet intervene, and Lucy lived on, but it was a very painful existence. Her stools were bloody, and she could no longer control them. She whimpered often and showed other signs of living in constant pain. She never ran or barked, nor did she recognize us at all. It was a blessing when she got so weak that we had to put her down.

To both dogs we are in a very minor but real sense like gods. We have been around throughout their entire lifespan. Although they can rebel, they know they can’t get away with it in the end. Their life and death matters are often trivial and even humorous in our eyes. We supply their needs, their entertainment, and eventually often determine how long they live. They have to await our convenience for such things as meals and walks. Yet we love and care for them—in a small way like God does for us.

Thank You Lord for allowing us to glimpse in the pets You give us a side of You that we would never see otherwise.