I don’t know if I have said this in so many words here, but I am a strong believer in the fact that life is God’s gift and man shouldn’t be ending it either at the beginning by abortion or at the end by euthanasia.
I just saw a news article about a Polish man who “woke up” from a 19 year coma. His faithful wife took care of him at home for most of those years and said she would “fly into a rage” at the suggestion that he should be euthanized. She believed he would recover — and he did! And he remembers many of the family things that happened during his coma.
We never know what purposes God may have in store. We shouldn’t be too quick to “pull the plug.”
During my father’s last hospitalization about six months before he died, he had to be put on a ventilator for several days. One family member’s significant other was strongly opposed to the use of any “machines.” Thankfully because she was not a relative she had no say with the medical staff. My father was on a ventilator for maybe 10 days, then left the hospital to live with my brother for his remaining months. Some might feel that, “It was only 6 months more life.” But I saw God do a lot of good during that last six months that I don’t feel I should include here for the privacy of those involved.
There is a book I read years ago called Charlie’s Victory about a coach named Charlie Wedemeyer who had Lou Gehrig’s disease. When he began having trouble breathing, his wife was advised to “let him go.” Someone told his wife about portable ventilators, and the health professional was actually angry that she wanted to use one! I don’t know why these people are so determined to end life. What are they so afraid of? He lived many years on a portable vent and even had a ministry traveling and speaking, his wife interpreting for him.
Joni Eareckson Tada wrote an excellent book addressing this issue years ago called When Is It Right to Die?: Suicide, Euthanasia, Suffering, Mercy.
Stray Thoughts 
I totally agree with you
I like Joni Eareckson Tada such an amazing woman. Right at the beginning of the post I was also thinking Suicide too. I see its part of Jonis books title. I heard once that if you commit suicide you dont go to heaven.
Charlie and Joni are both amazing people with such great stories to share.
Regarding suicide, I disagree. I believe that suicide is a sin, just like any other sin. Christ died to save us from our sins, and while we may not have the opportunity to ask for forgiveness for all sins while on earth, we will have to face judgement for them in Heaven. The Bible says all we must do is Believe to go to Heaven and ask Christ into your heart. I have an uncle who was saved and fell into a deep depression later in life, after some extreme circumstances. He overcame many, but in the end, some were just too much for him to bear. He committed suicide and left a harrowing note. However, he is a child of God and I firmly believe he is in Heaven. I don’t feel that God turns his back on his children, especially in such horrific times of need. While the better solution is for people to turn to Him, sometimes they just aren’t thinking clearly enough to do that. I think He understands that. He is a forgiving God.
I agree completely. Karen. There is nothing in the Bible that says suicide is unforgivable. Christ paid for all our sins, past. present, and future — they were all future when He died.
I do think suicide is an awful thing to do to your loved ones, and I’d hate to face the Lord with that having been the last thing I did. There was a dear man in our church much like your uncle — saved, but overcome and not thinking straight, who took his life a couple of years ago. But I believe he was genuinely saved and is with the Lord today. It was the worst thing his family ever had to deal with. He had convinced himself that they were better off without him, but he was wrong — they were worse off with his death, particularly with that mode of his death.
I want to emphasize that for anyone reading who might have the remotest thought about suicide and who might think it is ok because it is forgivable. It’s not ok. God can help you with whatever the problems are.
With God nothing is impossible. We do, however, must allow God to work in us. If we are unwilling or can’t get pass ourselves, God can’t help us. We must be the willing clay, to be fashioned by God (the Potter) as He wills. Thanks for sharing this, Barbara.