We Don’t Live to Live

Once I attended a hospital ministry seminar, and the question was asked, “Who wouldn’t pray for people to be healed?” This issue has always bothered me, so I raised my hand. I said, “In the Orthodox Church we pray that someone is granted health so they can repent, not just so they can go home.” A lengthy discussion ensued, and I was able to help a few people gain perspective on prayer when it comes to our physical health.

Obviously, we all want our loved ones to recover from illnesses that land them in the hospital, but we also know that we all die eventually. The issue for us as Orthodox Christians is the journey between birth and salvation. Death happens along the way, and the longer we live, the more chances we have for repentance. Take a moment and read today’s reading below from Hebrews, and ask yourself if you have neglected your salvation.

Brethren, if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou carest for him? Thou didst make him for a little while lower than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. – Hebrews 2.2-10

The Great Fast, like prayer in the hospital, has a purpose to prepare us for salvation. Just as we don’t pray just to be healed, we do not fast just to fast. Everything must lead toward our salvation, not just another day of life. Our society doesn’t understand this challenge. More than 35% of your lifetime health care spending will be spent in the final years of your life. More than 10% of all US health care dollars are spent at the very end of life, at what cost?

Many families spend their family fortune and waste all their energy on “just another day of life” for their loved ones, ignoring the FACT that their loved one will die one day no matter what. If we focus only on living, and forget repentance and salvation, we may as well allow our family members to die and spend the money on something else.

The Lord said to his disciples, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” – Luke 10.16-21

The Disciples were excited because demons obeyed their commands, but Christ said, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” This is the purpose of life, we don’t live just to live.