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As Christians, we do a lot of praying to God to help people(or ourselves) get well from a serious illness rather than die. Why is this if the ultimate goal of a Christian is to be with God in heaven? I would think that the only appropriate prayer would be for God's will.
let me answer your question with another question, do our heart given prayers have a chance to influence God's will? (imho they do) if so, why?
Maybe because when we pray with all our heart, mind and soul we get closer to God, and maybe that's God's will
just a humble idea
I like your thought of praying to God to get closer to God. I'm still confused about what we pray for. Why pray for someone to live, and stay on earth, if the ultimate destination of their journey is to be with God in heaven? I would think a more appropriate prayer would be to thank God for giving me life on earth and that I am ready to be with Him in heaven if that is His will.
As Christians, we do a lot of praying to God to help people(or ourselves) get well from a serious illness rather than die. Why is this if the ultimate goal of a Christian is to be with God in heaven? I would think that the only appropriate prayer would be for God's will.
god always wants the same stuff
life truth and love.
so if i am praying for that
i am on track.
the ultimate goal of the christian is not to be in heaven with god
to me that sounds like something a terrorist would say
just b4 he blew himself up.
stephen s
san diego ca
As Christians, we do a lot of praying to God to help people(or ourselves) get well from a serious illness rather than die. Why is this if the ultimate goal of a Christian is to be with God in heaven? I would think that the only appropriate prayer would be for God's will.
Not to sound as if I am making light of this subject, but there are many times that I pray that God will gently take someone home, who is suffering so much pain and there is no medical hope for the person to recover..IMO,we must accept the fact that this persons life is over and I see no reason in that case to ask God to prolong his/her/adult/childs suffering..When my father in law was dying from cancer that had metasticized to the brain, they put him on a morphine drip..His breathing was labored and his heart rate would be weak, stop, and start again. We concluded that each time he was ready to surrender that someone in the family would beg him to fight it. He was in a coma, but I know that deep down he could hear or feel us. Finally all of us agreed to surround him and tell him we loved him, and that we understood that the Lord wanted him to come home..Everything was still and quiet after one of his grandchildren said the most beautiful prayer I have ever heard. Dad went in perfect peace 45 minutes later. We watched the monitors ever so slowly and almost peacefully come to a stop...We said another prayer of thanksgiving to God and left in peace..Gods will was done gently, lovingly and peacefully.
god always wants the same stuff
life truth and love.
so if i am praying for that
i am on track.
the ultimate goal of the christian is not to be in heaven with god
to me that sounds like something a terrorist would say
just b4 he blew himself up.
stephen s
san diego ca
I was born and raised a Christian and still consider myself one after sixty years. I have always been taught that the bible was to be used as a guideline on how to live life here on earth so that we may enter the Kingdom of God. That seems to me to be the ultimate destination of one's journey on earth. It may be something a terrorist would say but it would also be something a Christian would say(only I'm not going there to find seventy-two virgins).
As Christians, we do a lot of praying to God to help people(or ourselves) get well from a serious illness rather than die. Why is this if the ultimate goal of a Christian is to be with God in heaven? I would think that the only appropriate prayer would be for God's will.
Well this is how I see it...God is all knowing and is full aware of what we want, just as most parents know what their children want. But sometimes even when we don't want to give our children something we will change our minds if the want is expressed as a sincere genuine need. So by praying for someone that is loved and needed by others that remain on earth is healed so they can stay here for them, then God may grant that prayer for the people here who need that person. Not because God doesn't want that person in heaven just because He is being merciful towards the people who will feel the loss of that person here on earth.
When I pray for someone to heal I always add that if the His will is not to heal that person that He take them painlessly and quickly and not prolong the inevitable. That way I've not only prayed for what I want, but for what the ill person needs. My 2 cents.
I like your thought of praying to God to get closer to God. I'm still confused about what we pray for. Why pray for someone to live, and stay on earth, if the ultimate destination of their journey is to be with God in heaven? I would think a more appropriate prayer would be to thank God for giving me life on earth and that I am ready to be with Him in heaven if that is His will.
Hi gbone,
` We are supposed to love God with all of our heart,mind,and soul. To be with Jesus is the ulimate..that`s what we long for. But, when we get into an accident,escape death in some way..so to speak,we thank God that he spared us. We will spend every penny we have for medical attention to stay on this earth,eventhough we long for heaven. I`ve often wondered why Christians, who believe we are in God`s presence immediately,feel this way.
Good question. I think St. Paul expressed it about his own life at the end. He stated that he was torn between wanting to go on and be with the Lord and stay and continue to help the churches and people he had grown to love. He knew they needed him.
God obviously put some value on this life or it doesn't seem like He would have given it to us, no? We are not to take our own life or the life of anyone else. God apparently values it greatly. And I think he has put something in us, therefore, that fights to live. God may have some more work for us to down here for the kingdom or for our personal family before we are to go too. Hope that makes sense.
I also think "age" enters into the picture here. I think we tend to think differently in how we pray about an 85 year old man who is dying and knows the Lord and a 36 year old mother with 3 small children.
And lastly, we do love and have attachments here on earth to our loved ones. Therefore, often we don't to leave or have them leave us "prematurely" or what seems to us "prematurely."
Thanks KayKay,
I understand what you are saying. I have certainly feel that way at times myself. This question has caused me to think deeper about my own life. If we truly love God more than anything or anybody on this earth,including our children, and that is where we truly,think about it,truly want to be, then it just seems odd that people would be praying to God to spare them from going there as soon as possible. I know we are not to take our own life,God forbid. That is not what I am saying. But we thank God for sparing us or spend enormous amounts of money,doing anything we can to stay on this earth eventhough we say with our mouth...`I can`t wait to be with the Lord`. I know why I feel the way I do,but I feel differently about life after death and Gods plan for the ages then most american christians do..that`s another topic. LOL But we are instructed to love God with ALL OF OUR HEART,MIND,AND SOUL. When you think about what that means,we shouldn`t think twice about where we want to be. We should want it more than anything. I`m certainly not criticizing anyone,because we are human. I`m not saying that I have never felt the way most due either,it`s just a thought provoking question for me. A lot of Chrsitians love to pay homage to God with their lips and talk about how much they love him..as long as it doesn`t take them too far out of their comfort zone. I include myself in that as well,so I`m not attacking anyone..just throwing it out there. Thanks for for posting.
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