Manipulating God
Over at Can You Hear Me Now, Clarence has been exploring the purpose behind fasting, and how we sometimes seem to use fasting as a way to manipulate God.
Now, I've always gotten the impression that if you particularly want results or answers to your prayers, you ought to fast. In fact, I've been taught that fasting is particularly efficacious if you're looking for a "breakthrough" (a word I'm starting to hate, but that's neither here nor there). And the idea always sounded a bit strange to me. So I can identify with Clarence:
Logically it makes no sense to me whatsoever. Why would God, the Ruler of the Universe be moved to show me extraordinary favour just because I willingly skipped a meal or two or fifteen or twenty or died trying to fast (food and water totally) for 40 days like I was trying to equal what Jesus did just after he was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist.[...]
If God didn't want you to have any food he could simply say "NO FOOD for (put your name here) and you wouldn't eat until he said otherwise.
Quite true.
To my way of thinking, the only reason fasting might appear to bring more results is because it shows utter desperation and a raw honesty before God as well as my own self. It's like an end of the rope thing, when you say, "Okay, God, I really can't do this on my own and I need Your help. I'm willing to try even this... please help me!!"
On the other hand, it seems to me that almost every time we come to God in a big or "serious" way, we want something from Him. I remember once participating in a whole-day worship thingamajig. At the end of the day, the leader asked, "Did you receive a breakthrough?" I, naïve as ever, replied, "But I didn't come to ask God for anything... I just wanted to worship Him!" I know that probably sounds rather arrogant, but at the time I was genuinely puzzled. That I might come without any agenda other than to worship God seemed completely beyond that leader's comprehension.
This is not to say that I'm better than anyone else; there've been more times when I'd seek God in the hope of getting something, compared to those when I would just praise Him for being a good and faithful God, with no ulterior motive. It could so easily turn into a guilt trip too. I know that in my earlier years, I used to feel guilty when I came to God for something, knowing that I hadn't been walking in obedience or closeness with Him before that! It's like that whole, "You only go to God when you're in trouble" thing. What kind of relationship is that?
That's just the point, you see. We're supposed to be in relationship with God. In relationships, you do sometimes ask each other for help. You rely on each other. You talk to each other not always with the intention of getting something out of it, although that does come into play. I don't think we should feel guilty for coming to God when we're in trouble. But I do think we should cultivate a relationship with Him and not just view Him as some sort of Santa Claus or benevolent Fairy Godmother.
Parablemania quotes from The NIV Application Commentary (Colossians & Philemon) by David E. Garland: "Idolatry had as its chief purpose to get some material advantage from the gods, and idol worshipers tried to manipulate them to that end."
If you think about it, the Old Testament Israelites (whom I've always thought were rather dumb and short-sighted) only worshipped God when things started going wrong and He did some wonderful miracle for them. But when things were going well, they tended to forget all about Him and follow other gods instead. You know what? I don't know about you, but I have a HUGE tendency to be like those Israelites. Just as dumb and just as short-sighted. And I think that's scary!!!
I really hope that we won't be like the Israelites, who from all accounts were mostly only concerned about the advantages they could get from any particular god. I really hope that we don't worship God primarily for the things we can get out of Him whether it's escape from hell, entrance into heaven, blessings, protection, good health, answered prayers, or whatever. I don't know whether we can be so-called "worshipping God" and yet knee-deep in idolatry at the same time, but I'd rather not test the possibility!