I have a big green chair. Sometimes I call it my prayer chair. Specifically, it’s a chair and a half. Just the right size for curling up with a dog or two–Ike climbs aboard and snuggles close. Kelly jumps (she’s spry for 13!) and perches on the back of the chair. All together, we’re cozy.
I can think of many times I’ve prayed for my pets in that chair. The time when Kelly was sick and wouldn’t eat.
Or, last year when Ike came to join our family, I prayed that both dogs would get along, that Ike would defer to Kelly’s bossy ways and that Kelly would learn to love and accept her new “brother.”
I’ve prayed for friends’ pets, too. A cat that was lost. A dog that was hit by a car. A dog with cancer.
Then, one day I was stretched out in my chair with my devotional book, ready to spend some quiet time with God.
I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind. Kelly, our only dog at the time, jumped up, her nimble body landing deftly on the back of the chair, and slid into place around my neck.
I reached up, at first to shoo her away. This was my time, my quiet time to focus on God, and I shouldn’t be distracted.
But first, I couldn’t resist petting her long, silky fur. Her warmth radiated, gently relaxing me and helping me focus. My prayer time was enhanced by her presence.
Studies show that dogs keep us calm. Petting a dog can help lower our blood pressure. It also increases your level of serotonin and other “pleasure” hormones.
The same is true for cats. Petting a cat is not only relaxing, but the vibration of a cat’s purr–measured at 20 to 140 Hertz–actually promotes healing of infections, your soft tissue and bones.
Now, I’m rarely without a dog or two by my side when I pray.
It’s a blessing to pray for your pet. The experience is even richer to pray with your pet.
