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| Q: | The Bible says that God knows the number of our days and also I read somewhere else that death's timing is God's choice. If we are destined to die at a certain time then how can prayer change that in the case of someone suffering from a serious illness? God already knows and has decided, or can he change his mind because of prayer? | ||||||
| A: | The answer to your questions is "yes." God does determine the moment of our death. In Psalm 139:16 the writer says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." In Acts 17:26 the apostle Paul states, "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." However, Scripture also says that what we do (eating right, exercise, prayer, godly living) makes a difference and plays a part in determining how long we will live. Proverbs 3:1,2 says, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my command in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity." We can see both of these points in the example of King Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:1-8). At first the Lord determined that it was time for Hezekiah to die. But when Hezekiah prayed, the Lord listened to his prayer and extended his life fifteen years. At first this may seem as though God changed his mind. Yet this is not the case. Perhaps we could say that God leaves himself open to a number of options as he manages our lives, including the moment of our death. But even that does not fully explain this paradox. In short, we simply have to let these two statements stand side by side. God determines when our life will end. What we do, including our prayers, does make a difference. If you would like to learn about this in more depth, you might read the book, "God's Providence--He Cares for You," especially chapter seven which is entitled, "What About the End of Life?" You can order this book from Northwestern Publishing House. | ||||||
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