Remember when Abraham bargained with God? Genesis 18: 20-32 God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham asked the Lord to spare them for the sake of fifty innocent people. I guess there weren't fifty innocent because Abraham got Him to accept ten innocent people. Well, I was thinking of different kinds of praying and realized that bargaining with God, is a legitimate prayer. I don't recommend it because you may get what you bargained for, besides God's sense of humour seems to be at our expense.!
As a child, I used to bargain with God. When I was in the fifth grade, I bargained with God to win a softball game. We tied. The promise was to pray every night, every single prayer I knew.
Since that worked, not exactly, but that's God's sense of humor, I felt that I still obligated to keep my part of the deal. So for quite a while, (and it was a burden) I prayed every single prayer I knew.
In the seventh grade, I was in another softball game, and I really, really, wanted to win. And I made the same bargain. And I knew a few more prayers--long ones! Salve Regina, the Apostle's Creed, The Confiteor, and thank God, I didn't promise a Rosary.
We tied. Again. You would have thought I had learned my lesson, the first time.
I dutifully, prayed every single prayer I knew, every single night. It was a terrible burden. I hated it, but I did it. I'd cry while praying, but I promised and a promise is a promise.
Finally, I talked to a priest about it, and he said I could stop. Truthfully, I forget what the priest said, except for the important fact that I wasn't obligated to continue.
Besides, God cheated. He knew I wanted to win, not tie. Sometimes, God yanks our chain.
As a child, I used to bargain with God. When I was in the fifth grade, I bargained with God to win a softball game. We tied. The promise was to pray every night, every single prayer I knew.Since that worked, not exactly, but that's God's sense of humor, I felt that I still obligated to keep my part of the deal. So for quite a while, (and it was a burden) I prayed every single prayer I knew.
In the seventh grade, I was in another softball game, and I really, really, wanted to win. And I made the same bargain. And I knew a few more prayers--long ones! Salve Regina, the Apostle's Creed, The Confiteor, and thank God, I didn't promise a Rosary.
We tied. Again. You would have thought I had learned my lesson, the first time.
I dutifully, prayed every single prayer I knew, every single night. It was a terrible burden. I hated it, but I did it. I'd cry while praying, but I promised and a promise is a promise.
Finally, I talked to a priest about it, and he said I could stop. Truthfully, I forget what the priest said, except for the important fact that I wasn't obligated to continue.
Besides, God cheated. He knew I wanted to win, not tie. Sometimes, God yanks our chain.
