Very often I pass church, temple or mosque and see crowds outside. Initially I used to think that their gods must be so pleased to have so many worshipping them, till I realized very few came to worship, most came to barter, “God, please give me a promotion, and I will give you my whole month’s salary!” or “I will come to church every Sunday!” or “I will give up smoking or drinking!”
Says writer Ben Edwards, ‘We’ve all heard it, and most of us have either thought it, or even prayed it.” “God, if You do this thing I currently want, then I’ll do something I probably should do but haven’t.” And that’s how the world works; people want something in return for something done or given. People don’t just give away favors. They want something in return. So we begin to barter with others when we are seeking their favors.
We started doing this when we were young, trading our veg sandwiches for our friend’s non-veg. The other person has something we want—either an item or the ability to accomplish something, so we offer him something we think he wants. In our society the most common bartering item is money. You give me something and I give you money in exchange. But we occasionally offer other goods or services, housing and food in exchange for a full time maid; use of vehicles in exchange for professional work, etc. In each situation, the offer is successful only if both parties have something the other lacks or needs.
But there’s a problem when we try to do business with God. God doesn’t lack or need anything!
The truth that God does not need anything is part of a larger truth of God’s self-sufficiency. This means that God’s existence comes from Himself, thus He is not dependent on anyone or anything else.
You are wasting your time bartering or bargaining with Him. And if you did get something you asked for, it is because of God’s grace and love for you and not for anything you promised in return.
So, what does God want? He wants you to have a change of heart. He wants you to become pure like He is. He wants you to give up the things that make Him sad.
And I believe God is sad today: He is sad seeing people using religion to get votes! He is sad seeing men and women fighting each other in His name! He is sad because of political leaders who use His name to hit at others!
And I believe, that this scary time, is being allowed by a God above for a change of heart from His people!
So, if you think, that by continuing to make deals, you will win His favour, do think again. God needs a change, a parivarthan in your life, not a bartering, bargaining, business, trade off arrangement..!
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Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.
I believe, the current situation is like the famine to bring the prodigal son back to senses and return to his father’s house. God can use anything, a storm, famine, drought, flood, earthquake, cyclone, tsunami or a invisible virus to remind us that we are moving in wrong direction and invite us to mend our ways.
Very true Bobby..
God is existential! Our existence comes from Him..all our talents and gifts come from Him..without which we would not have them..So worship is fitting for Him alone..without us asking He gives and gives..and if it is withheld then for a good reason..which we sometimes realise only too late..with humans..you scratch my back I will scratch yours..some of us..not all though..
Well said Bob. Many have tackled this issue of offering something to God but none has presented what you have.
Yes GOD knows exactly what is happening. We all Humans Without Humanity full of ego
His second coming will judge who we are at the end
That’s so true,Bobby.I told someone that God does not need our hair but our heart. He inhabits our praises. He saved us from dangers we are unaware of. He gives what we need without our realising it. He is love. He deserves to be glorified,blessed,honoured and worshipped always as He is good, great and full of grace and power. We’re joyful, safe and blessed if we are faithful and invite Him to be enthroned in our heart as our Lord,proclaim Him as our Master,Saviour and King of our life forever.
“A man of faith does not bargain or stipulate with God ! “
Bro.Bob you have hit the eye of the Storm. Yes we have aroused God’s displeasure and wrath in total disobedience repeatedly to His just commands .
As you correctly said ,
God is self sufficient and merciful, He needs nothing but our true worship as His creation with all our flaws
adopted by our own greed , pride and ego.
Yes God had created our first parents and provided them self sufficiency in the priveledged Royal Garden of Eden. They chose to be disqualified from that paradise due to their disobedience and greed. But our God is a jealous and at the same time merciful God too.
So to seek us back to Himself , the very air which He freely breathed into us to bring us to life, He has set new conditions for restoration of the same air we breath. Calling for our repentance of all the
multitude of sins and misdeeds .Remember He still Loves us , though we have lost the way.