Before you learn how to pray for animals, it is important to understand how prayer works. A good number of people believe that we should not pray for animals.
What does the Bible say about Praying for Animals?
As far as I know, there is one scripture that stands out when it comes to animals; Proverbs 12:10. This is what it says: A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
From this scripture we know that God expects us to take care of the needs of our animals. But the Bible does not specify whether we should pray for them as well.
To understand whether we should pray for our animals, we have to examine prayer. Prayer by nature is communication with God. Is it wrong to tell God about your animals?
Obviously, there is no harm in telling God about the needs of your animals. If your pet is sick and you want healing for it, you can request God to heal it and He will.
The only condition about praying for our pets is that we should not value them more than other people. God made it clear that human beings are more important to Him than animals.
When men sinned, God required animal sacrifices to atone for the sin of the people. The fact that animals were used as sacrifices to appease God when men angered Him shows that animals are lesser than men.
If you can pray for your pets but you can’t pray for your neighbor, you will grieve God. God prefers that you pray for your neighbor first before you pray for your pet.
Also, pets belong to the owner just as men belong to God. The needs of pets are provided by their owners just as God provides for men.
The cares of your pet are on you and your cares are on God. You sort the cares of your pet by getting your cares sorted by God. You share the food that God gives you with your pet.
That is what God intended when He created us and asked us to take care of animals. Don’t we name our animals as we wish? Don’t we train them according to our desire?
Do prayers for animals work?
Yes, God answers prayers that people make for their animals. It is true that animals are lesser beings than humans but they are still God’s creation and He cares for them.
The pets we keep are under our care and you are a prayerful person definitely your pet will benefit from the prayers you make whether directly or indirectly.
I know someone who prayed for a calf that had a wounded leg in the evening before he went to bed. When he went to open the cow shed the following day, the calf was the first one to jump out completely healed.
It grieves God when we hurt animals and that indicates that God is pleased when we pray for them.
Praying for Protection for your Animals
Your animals are your property. Because of that, you are right when you pray for their protection. If you lose your animals, you will definitely grieve.
God understands the love we have for our animals and that is why He automatically protects the animals of the righteous. When you pray for your personal protection, God not only protects you but also your animals.
In the Bible, we are told of the story of Job who had large herds of animals. When the devil got permission to attack him, his animals were stolen. This shows us that God had not only protected Job but He had protected his animals as well.
For this reason, whether you pray for the protection of your animals or not, if you pray for personal protection, your animals will automatically get protection as well.
Praying for Dead Animals
Some people believe in praying for dead animals but that is wrong. If praying for dead people is pointless, how much less praying for dead animals?
In the book of Ecclesiastes 9:4, the Bible tells us that anyone who is among the living has hope. The scripture then emphasizes its point by stating that a live dog is better than a dead lion.
Naturally, we know that a lion represents kingship and a dog represents a poor state. The fact that a live dog is better than a dead lion proves to us that death completely wipes off the value of an animal.
Because of this, it is wrong to pray for dead animals. If your animal dies, go bury it and let that be the end of the story. Don’t turn the simple death of your pet into an idolatrous ceremony.
The same applies to dead people; even if they were loved ones and were upright with God, no prayers should be offered to them. We have been clearly instructed in the Bible to pray to our Father in Heaven.
When Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer, He said we begin praying by saying “Our Father who art in heaven…” Who are you to pray to someone else just because He was a saint?
Praying for Wild Animals
Wild animals are in the hands of God. How they eat and how they drink is God’s concern. Remember Jesus told us that God feeds the birds of the air that neither sow nor reap nor store food in barns.
It is clear that wild animals are taken care of by God. From our perspective, wild animals have a hard time but in reality God takes good care of them.
And at this point it is safe to say that wild animals are more at risk of danger from human beings than from other wild animals.
Sample Prayer for Animals
Heavenly Father, thank you for the animals you have put under my care. I know you desire that I take good care of them just as you take care of me. I pray today that you may teach me to be tender to my animals and show them the love that you intended them to receive. All these animals are your creation and I love your creation. Those among them that are sick I pray Lord that you heal them. Keep all my animals in perfect health and multiply them as you did for your servant Jacob. I trust you my Lord and King!
Amen!