How to Ask for Things

April 29, 2009

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 3-5 and Psalm 5-6

I never seem to get tired of talking about the stupidity of people, and how it just doesn’t seem to end. The sad part is that people do the dumbest things in the name of God.

Case in point, what the Hebrews when they were fighting the Philistines. I don’t know whose brilliant idea it was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the battle.

I think it was the same one who suggested that Steven Spielberg add the whole line about “the Bible speaks of the Ark leveling mountains”. I can’t seem to find that mountain-leveling part in my Bible.

But that is beside the point. Still, I mean I can understand why they would think that. The Israelites had seen supernatural effects done through objects before. Why shouldn’t the Holy of Holies do something dramatic like win a battle or two? I mean, an ordinary rod turned into a snake and parted the Red Sea, for crying aloud.

I have seen people do things that they really thought were godly, and it just ended up oddly. Boy, that sounds like one of those sick “Christian Clichés” that I see places. You know, like “Let Go, Let God”. Man, those suck, you know why? Because they are true!

Let’s go back to that godly/oddly rhyming one. I have seen and you have seen people try and do things in the name of God.

Think about all the people who speak up at a Gay pride parade. True, God may have asked them to do it, but man, they often are surprised at the result. “Wow, you mean they didn’t all repent? You mean the crowd turned against me and are now they hate Christianity more than ever?” Wow, what a shock!

Of course, if we’re doing things for God, then they have to be right, right? I mean, What Would Jesus Do? Let’s just say what Jesus said when he condemned the actions of sinners, and ignore the fact that he loved them too.

There are some people that pray with that whole “name it and claim it” thing. If you’re not familiar with that cliché, that’s like when Christians say that they get everything that they pray for.

I bet there are people who think that prayers work if they cling to the Ark of the Covenant, if we were still using it.

The truth is, we can’t really expect to do things to make our wishes come true. The reading in Psalms, which talks about people who humbly pray to the Lord.

Now, that is the way to request something. If you expect God to do something, you probably should not expect it, seriously. I don’t mean to be a negative Nellie, but honestly, just how important is it, in the big picture of things? Just ask the man who painted it.