A Prayer for Pilot— A Devotional for Pet Lovers
God said, “let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” — Genesis 1:26, WMB
Sheila’s soft-coated Wheaton terrier, Pilot, fell desperately ill. He’d been with her and her husband through the trials of childlessness, comforting and precious. Caring for him, Sheila again felt helpless. The companionship meant too much to lose him now. The prayers of friends and family joined theirs through several days of fighting the unknown illness that caused internal bleeding. Why weren’t they working? Didn’t God know how much they’d been through? Her beautiful pet grew nearer the precipice of death at the height of what should be his healthiest years. With so much loss already in her family, one more death was a horrendous stress. Please, God, not one more disappointing hurt.
Then the veterinarian spoke the inevitable. “I’m sorry, you’ll need to prepare yourselves to let him go.”
But God’s quiet voice spoke in Sheila’s heart. “No, my child, I have given you authority over all the earth, including this one small dog. It’s time for you to claim dominion.”
She turned to her husband and the vet. “Let’s wait and pray one more night because we have not been praying as if we have authority over our dog.” Waiting one more night proved the promised miracle that God had whispered into Sheila’s heart. The next day, after another long night of prayer and caring for the sick terrier, Pilot woke and ate.
To this day, Sheila has no idea what caused the dire mystery illness in her beloved pet. She is, though, joyful that the Lord infused her with the memory to pray in authority over her dog. Sheila’s prayers are forever changed.
Dear Lord, thank you for giving me dominion over the earth and all that dwells in it. Help me to remember to wield that authority prayerfully and properly. —Amen
