Prayer for the Atheists

 July 7, 2024

Sunday

I do not look at atheists with ire. I see them as misled. I see them as hopeless. I see them as people who need Christ but often will not allow themselves to realize it. We all operate with a limited amount  of knowledge. Their lack is in the spiritual realm. 

The life of the atheist must be one without an overall purpose. Yes, I realize that a person may choose a purpose in life but that purpose is exactly as stated. It is chosen. This means that it is not directed by any forces outside of the person other than the influence given by genetics, intelligence, environment being encouraged by others in their pursuit. They cannot say that they were directed by anyone or anything outside of these influences. Their purpose ends when they leave this world.

This seems hopeless to me even though I believe there are countless Christians who have no sense of purpose. The Christians may also be misled or not willing to seek God in their purpose. The atheists is not disobedient to their purpose. They don't believe it exists beyond themselves. They have closed their eyes to God as much as I have closed my eyes to atheism. The difference is that the atheist wants me to see what he can't see. I want the atheist to see what I can see.

The atheist sees my faith as a fairy tale. I see the atheist's fate as the sudden stop that comes after falling off of a cliff. The atheist sees my faith as a false hope. I see the atheist's fate as hopeless. The atheist will agree with the Apostle Paul if we have only hoped in a Christ who has not been resurrected:

1 Corinthians 15:19 (NASB 2020) ¹⁹ If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But this is not the end of the story.

1 Corinthians 15:20–21 (NASB 2020) ²⁰ But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. ²¹ For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.

I pray for atheists even if they don't want my prayers. I pray for the miracle of faith to come to them. I pray that they realize that there is a purpose for each of them that comes from beyond this world. I pray for their joy in finding this. I don't want any of them to leave this life without Christ.