A Word About Faith
Comes now a sad story from Minnesota, i.e. Yankee land.
We’ll abbreviate this, as her parents did her life. A young girl in Minnesota went into diabetic shock, and her parents chose to pray for her, instead of calling a doctor.
God allows us knowledge, and this includes doctors. There is the apocryphal tale of the flood victim trapped on his roof. He waved off the chopper, shouting “God will care for me!” Later, when the boat came for him, he waved them off, shouting “God will care for me!”
When he eventually drowned and showed up at the Pearly Gates, Saint Peter balked him. “What is your malfunction?” Peter demanded.
“I trusted in God,” the guy replied.
“Yeah, and we sent you a helicopter and a boat.”
God allows us knowledge for a reason. We know how to build and detonate nuclear devices because it amuses God to see us toying with the means of our destruction. There won’t have to be some interstellar apocalypse; we have the means at hand, and God is laughing.
God sends us doctors. We are allowed knowledge of diabetes. This girl did not need to die. When I went into the OR for the second time, fully conscious, I was saying the Lord’s Prayer as hard and fast as I could remember it. Dying in my sleep will be a blessing, but I want to be armed for it.
This Minnesota thing is terrible. The girl is sick, so you pray? Hey, I’ll pray for hours. God knows what’s in my heart. I don’t think I want to test my faith with the life of my daughter. Abraham did all right with Isaac, but I thought that was the last time we have to test those limits. God doesn’t open the skies. Blinding light miracles just don’t happen. There are quiet movements, but the instant you question them, they are gone. God winks in many ways.
This Minnesota thing is terrible. I have absolute faith in God, but if my daughter is sick, we’ll call a doctor. Going back to the head of the post: God gives us doctors.
I don’t know how to address the Minnesota parents. Go to hell, or stand up for your kidlet.
You prayed. It wasn’t enough.
God gives us knowledge. Doctors know things. They are there for a reason. I have prayed, and seen my prayers answered. You shouldn’t have bet your child’s life on it. I escaped death, possibly through prayer, and traumatic circumstances. Whatever the mix, it wasn’t fun. God has kept me alive for a reason, and it may be simply to tell this cautionary tale.
It is somehow horrifying that you let your daughter die. If you had prayed and prevailed, you might stand as an example. God chose to take your daughter, and you are foolish.
We’ll abbreviate this, as her parents did her life. A young girl in Minnesota went into diabetic shock, and her parents chose to pray for her, instead of calling a doctor.
God allows us knowledge, and this includes doctors. There is the apocryphal tale of the flood victim trapped on his roof. He waved off the chopper, shouting “God will care for me!” Later, when the boat came for him, he waved them off, shouting “God will care for me!”
When he eventually drowned and showed up at the Pearly Gates, Saint Peter balked him. “What is your malfunction?” Peter demanded.
“I trusted in God,” the guy replied.
“Yeah, and we sent you a helicopter and a boat.”
God allows us knowledge for a reason. We know how to build and detonate nuclear devices because it amuses God to see us toying with the means of our destruction. There won’t have to be some interstellar apocalypse; we have the means at hand, and God is laughing.
God sends us doctors. We are allowed knowledge of diabetes. This girl did not need to die. When I went into the OR for the second time, fully conscious, I was saying the Lord’s Prayer as hard and fast as I could remember it. Dying in my sleep will be a blessing, but I want to be armed for it.
This Minnesota thing is terrible. The girl is sick, so you pray? Hey, I’ll pray for hours. God knows what’s in my heart. I don’t think I want to test my faith with the life of my daughter. Abraham did all right with Isaac, but I thought that was the last time we have to test those limits. God doesn’t open the skies. Blinding light miracles just don’t happen. There are quiet movements, but the instant you question them, they are gone. God winks in many ways.
This Minnesota thing is terrible. I have absolute faith in God, but if my daughter is sick, we’ll call a doctor. Going back to the head of the post: God gives us doctors.
I don’t know how to address the Minnesota parents. Go to hell, or stand up for your kidlet.
You prayed. It wasn’t enough.
God gives us knowledge. Doctors know things. They are there for a reason. I have prayed, and seen my prayers answered. You shouldn’t have bet your child’s life on it. I escaped death, possibly through prayer, and traumatic circumstances. Whatever the mix, it wasn’t fun. God has kept me alive for a reason, and it may be simply to tell this cautionary tale.
It is somehow horrifying that you let your daughter die. If you had prayed and prevailed, you might stand as an example. God chose to take your daughter, and you are foolish.
posted by Robert at 12:04 PM
3 Comments:
I like the joke about the boat and the helicopter... Good one! It sort of says it all, I think.
We should pray always, but... if God gives us tools -- then use the tools. If God gives us knowledge -- then use the knowledge. If God gives us nothing else -- then at least we have prayer.
I also seem to recall a verse that says something about 'not putting your Lord to the test'. I think that's what these parents are guilty of.
Besides, you can't sit back and expect the Supreme Being of the Universe to jump through hoops for you. If you've got the notion that God is trained to "roll-over" and "fetch" on demand, then I figure God will cure you of that notion right quick.
Best regards...
They sound like Christian Scientists...who are neither Christian nor Scientists.
I guess the true tragedy of it all is that their beliefs condemned someone other than themselves: their daughter. She had little say ion the matter.
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