We are not the authors of life. We need to protect life at all cost.
The medical staff was committed to perform every task necessary to keep David stable, which was the goal at that moment. Beeping machines, graph monitors and pumping systems would let us know his breathing pattern, brain and blood pressure every second of the day and night. These beeps and sounds became our companions and would incite us to an extra prayer of plea or praise.
Three cubicles from where David was, the lady who sang and prayed for her son to awaken had received the news. Her son was out of the coma. We could hear the mother sing praises and see relatives visiting with gifts and flowers. The joy invaded all of our hearts. He was able to speak and comprehend all that was taking place. He had suffered a spinal cord injury. He was told that he would not walk again and would have to remain with life support in order to breathe. The next day, as I came back from having coffee, the hallways and waiting room were packed with this young man’s friends and relatives. The atmosphere had suddenly changed. The mother walked out of ICU with tears in her eyes and as we embraced she explained that after learning his fate, he had requested to sign paperwork to donate his organs and release forms to be disconnected. Everyone had come to say goodbye.
Free will is a gift from God. It gives us the opportunity to choose. We are responsible for our intentions and desires and how we act upon them. We are responsible to help others to choose wisely.
Like many other issues in our modern world, original oaths and decrees, which were thought of for the preservation of humanity in its intended existence, have been constantly revised to accommodate the culture’s lifestyles. Physician’s oath has been modified as well. Part of the original Hippocratic oath reads “Nor shall any man’s entreaty prevail upon me to administer poison to anyone neither will I counsel any man to do so…” Euthanasia is the practice of ending a life intentionally to avoid pain and suffering even at the request of a patient. Defenders of euthanasia call it “dignity of dying”. In contrast, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta opened homes for the dying so they could die with dignity. Do we choose life or death? Jesus reminds us to choose life. Free will is a precious gift.
In order to make a choice we need to have options. The world presents us options, which change to fit the times, tied to the culture and human cravings. God has offered us His options thru His Word, which is unchanging and eternal. His Word reveals his will towards mankind. The life of the saints can inspire and enrich our lives. We have choices. Ultimately it comes down to our free will.
(Isaiah 40:8; Malachi 3:6; 2 Tim 3:16-17, James 1:5; Deut 30:19)
The medical staff was committed to perform every task necessary to keep David stable, which was the goal at that moment. Beeping machines, graph monitors and pumping systems would let us know his breathing pattern, brain and blood pressure every second of the day and night. These beeps and sounds became our companions and would incite us to an extra prayer of plea or praise.
Three cubicles from where David was, the lady who sang and prayed for her son to awaken had received the news. Her son was out of the coma. We could hear the mother sing praises and see relatives visiting with gifts and flowers. The joy invaded all of our hearts. He was able to speak and comprehend all that was taking place. He had suffered a spinal cord injury. He was told that he would not walk again and would have to remain with life support in order to breathe. The next day, as I came back from having coffee, the hallways and waiting room were packed with this young man’s friends and relatives. The atmosphere had suddenly changed. The mother walked out of ICU with tears in her eyes and as we embraced she explained that after learning his fate, he had requested to sign paperwork to donate his organs and release forms to be disconnected. Everyone had come to say goodbye.
Free will is a gift from God. It gives us the opportunity to choose. We are responsible for our intentions and desires and how we act upon them. We are responsible to help others to choose wisely.
Like many other issues in our modern world, original oaths and decrees, which were thought of for the preservation of humanity in its intended existence, have been constantly revised to accommodate the culture’s lifestyles. Physician’s oath has been modified as well. Part of the original Hippocratic oath reads “Nor shall any man’s entreaty prevail upon me to administer poison to anyone neither will I counsel any man to do so…” Euthanasia is the practice of ending a life intentionally to avoid pain and suffering even at the request of a patient. Defenders of euthanasia call it “dignity of dying”. In contrast, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta opened homes for the dying so they could die with dignity. Do we choose life or death? Jesus reminds us to choose life. Free will is a precious gift.
In order to make a choice we need to have options. The world presents us options, which change to fit the times, tied to the culture and human cravings. God has offered us His options thru His Word, which is unchanging and eternal. His Word reveals his will towards mankind. The life of the saints can inspire and enrich our lives. We have choices. Ultimately it comes down to our free will.
(Isaiah 40:8; Malachi 3:6; 2 Tim 3:16-17, James 1:5; Deut 30:19)
