Re: Because..
Submitted by Chris on September 17 1999 at 20:42:33
In reply to Re: Because.. Submitted by honesty.. on September 16 1999 at 20:36:45
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Hi Honesty, I hate to tell you this, but prayer DOES work my friend. My car is repaired and my job is secure (praise God!). No, God did not fix my car by a "direct" miracle, I was able to find a very good shop to fix it that very same day (which is perhaps a miracle, actually). And when I got to work the next day, fully expecting to be written up, no such thing happened. And, no, I don't find this a bit selfish. In fact, to tell you the truth, I am a little taken back by your statement. I am sure that God is fully aware of the plight and suffering of all of the people on this planet. And, as much as I am absolutely certain that He loves and cares about me and my family, I am just as certain that He loves and cares about every single soul on our earth. His Son died for EVERYONE and so, God must love literally EVERYONE, right? Even the "unloveable" like, say, those who commit horrable crimes, or social "missfits", like say, us, for instance. And I am most certain that He also loves and cares about the poor and suffering people of this world as well. These are things I am most certain of in my faith. But should I pray for these people instead of myself or my family, or should I feel bad or guilty if I do pray for myself and my family in light of what I know to be true in the rest of the world? No, I really don't think so at all. I NEVER feel guilty or bad about going to God with any problem or concerne that I have. He wants us to do just that. Come to Him with anything and/or everything in our lives. He loves and cares for all Christians as His very own children. And He takes very good care of His children here on this earth. This is not to say that God loves us, His children, any more than others who are not saved, He loves everyone the same. However, because we have accepted His Son into our lives, and have been forgiven of our sins because of His death and resurection, because we have accepted this FREE gift of His, we have obtained a different sort of relationship with Him than an unsaved person, or a person who has not accepted His free gift of salvation. We have become His children and God is our Father. And, yes, God is a wonderfull Father who loves and cares for His children very much. I DO care about, and pray for, those who are suffering and less fortunate than myself. Does God hear and answer these prayers as well? I am certain that He hears them and just as certain that He WILL answer them, in accordance with His will!! When I pray, I ALWAYS ask for God's will to be done, regardless of the situation. And even if I am pretty sure about a situation falling into His will, Istill pray for His will in that situation because I do not know for absolute certain if anything I pray for is %100 His will. Why, then, does my loving God still let people suffer? You would think that it would be His will that noone suffer, right? I don't think so. If you read in the old testiment, it is filled with instances where He allowed His own people to suffer badly. God's will is God's will. Only He understand it fully, and only He knows what it is fully. And, if you read your Bible, you will find that, throughout it's long history, God has NEVER felt the need to disclose everything about WHY He does things. It is up to us to accept His will in our live, and the lives of others, as being a perfect part of God's long and complicated plan for us humans. I, personally, do care about the suffering of others, and I personally do pray for their reliese from this pain and suffering, but ONLY in accordance with His will. Your Friend in Christ, Chris |