Posted by Dena on December 28, 2003, at 14:31:13
In reply to Re: please be supportive » Dena, posted by Dr. Bob on December 28, 2003, at 1:05:17
Dear Dr. Bob -
Welcome back.
You wrote:
"I thought someone praying for someone else was a good thing, too, but I guess it does depend on what exactly is being prayed for. Maybe the other person doesn't want to spend eternity in the presence of God? The best present is one you want to give *and* the other person wants to receive..."
I was already quite explicitly clear stating that while I am commanded to pray as God tells me (that all who come accross my path will receive salvation, meaning to live with God in eternity, starting here on earth), that each individual retains free will to accept or reject God's plan of salvation. God will not coerce anyone to accept Him. My prayers cannot force anyone to bow their will to God's.
Do you know what my prayers for others might cause? They may cause God to shower down blessings upon the one being prayed for. Blessings of love, love from God, designed to fill up all the restless, empty, disjointed places inside a heart; blessings of healing to the places of woundedness; blessings of security, to give a foundation that's unshakable; blessings of identity, of a sense of belonging, a sense of purpose. And all these blessings may cause the one being prayed for to be thankful to God, & perhaps open their eyes to the reality of God & how much He loves them. And just maybe, because they experience the overwhelming love of God, they may feel the desire to love Him in return. BUT, they still have the free will to say "no" to God, to not love Him back, to say, "thanks for the blessings, but no thanks. Good-bye." And He, still loving them, will let them go. His heart will break over them, but He'll let them go.
My prayers are done out of love & obedience to God, & out of love for others & concern about their futures. I pray because I am commanded to, not because I can expect or guarantee any particular outcome. I am commanded to continuously pray for & love others, even when they reject me, hate me, ridicule me, or harm me. I can show no higher support for others than to love them enough to pray for them.
I repeat, each person is guaranteed free choice - this is a gift given by God- it's not our right, it's a gift. He could have forced us to love Him, but He loved us too much for that. So He gave us each free will; if we return that love to Him, we receive certain consequences. If we choose to reject Him & His love, there are other certain consequences.
I will continue to pray as God tells me to. Each of you is able to pray as you're led to.
The perfect gift can only be given by the perfect Giver, who is God. We each have the ability to take that gift & "return to sender".
Your choice.
Shalom, Dena
poster:Dena
thread:291080
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20030908/msgs/294045.html