Fate or Faith?
article, non-fiction
Published on:
March 12, 8:36pmWord Count:
1581Work Description
the old testame.....
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“Fate or Faith”Is there ever a time in our lives when fate is greater than faith?...or does a strong, total faith in a thing redirect our destinies? Can predetermined events be altered or cancelled out just because we believe they can be?...or is “what’s for us, just for us”? These questions about which I wonder were prompted by a situation I’ve been forced to address and a decision I’m required to make…a life-or-death decision in which my choice can influence my mere existence. I’ve wondered if there is any such thing as “dying before your time” or prolonging your days determinate on whether you take one path or another. I don’t necessarily believe in total pre-destination, per se’, because we are beings capable of choice….and, I do know that honoring your mother and father, the only commandment with promise, will guarantee “that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you”. But, can life or death be determined by the presence of or the lack of faith?...or is the length of one’s days specifically numbered?
You see, the situation I face regards my trust in the dependability of modern medicine and its ability to heal with surgery (which I’ve been informed would be necessary to ensure the preservation of my health). Medical advice is that the postponement of my decision could prove fatal but I possess a reluctance to depend on any source except God for my healings. But, is my faith in God sufficient to override this medically prophesized outcome should I refuse clinical health care?
This caused me to analyze a story from the Old Testament about Jonah who had been commissioned to a fate by God to deliver an extremely urgent message to the city of Nineveh. He was to speak to its population that, “in forty days…Nineveh would be overthrown” because their wickedness had come up before the eyes of God. Now, not much is said about Jonah in the Bible prior to this narrative except that he was the son of the prophet, Amittai, who was from a small province of Gath-Nepher in Zebulum, the tenth of the twelve tribes of Israel and that the Lord God of Israel spoke through Jonah on occasion. So, obviously, Jonah was considered to be a prophet of God whose word was acceptable and reliable and would be received as authentic. Although Jonah had true faith in God, he had no intention of fulfilling this particular mission. The Scriptures recount that, “…Jonah rose up to flee…from the presence of the Lord”. Jonah high-tailed it out of his hometown, hopped a ship and headed for the high seas to hide himself away from God…headed in the opposite direction of the way he’d been sent to go. But, as Jonah’s fate had it, he was not to be relieved of his responsibility so easily; for the ship headed to Tarshish, on which he’d hidden himself, encountered a great and dangerous storm which threatened to demolish it and annihilate its crew. And, as Jonah slept below deck, the crew members discovered his presence on their vessel was the source of their calamity because he was in flight from the presence of the Lord. So, in order to save the ship, Jonah commanded them to throw him overboard into the sea that he might drown. But, yet, Jonah’s fate was set, for when be began to sink into the depths of the waters, “the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights”…miraculously, very much alive and yet the possessor of the message he had to deliver to Nineveh. During this terrifying ordeal in the middle of the deep, blue sea, Jonah came around to seeing things God’s way! So, the “Lord commanded the fish and it vomited Jonah up onto dry land”…and Jonah got busy with going about the work of the Lord: his fate.
Now, the fate of Nineveh had also been deemed. According to the word of God, they were to be overthrown in forty days. Nineveh, a great city at the height of its wealth and splendor, had become wicked and corrupt and the Lord had sealed their destiny…no alternative…no offer of appeal. But, like Jonah, these citizens refused to accept their fate. These townspeople, although sinful, “believed in
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Well done. You questions are fundamental. I am reminded of Doubting Thomas; he who did not believe that Christ rose from the dead until he put his hand in Christ's side. . you certainly don't fit into that description. I would say you have faith like that of Our Lord's mustard seed. I commend you for that faith and belief.
But after reading your work, and asking myself your question about fate and faith I ask you, do fate and faith necessarily cancel each other out? Can't they parallel each other while we are here on Earth?
I think so. I've faced some pretty daunting diseases in my life; come close to dying twice but still chose to permit modern medicine to provide me with the latest and greatest options. For me both times medicine worked. I believe, at the end of the day we will learn that God grants doctors, scientists and researchers the Grace to find the cures, find the new drugs, find the ways to overcome our disabilities and handicaps.
Remember, "The Lord helps those who help themselves."
I've found myself pondering this same question more than once in my life. Your logical look at the Old Testament story of Jonah was interesting to read. And your decision to stand by your faith is a decision we each ultimately have to make. I don't think that decision is based on logic, nor can it be--and most likely shouldn't be. If faith is defined as belief without proof, then logic has no validity.
Thanks for making this available to read.