"Buying God?"

"God if You will get me out of this mess, I promise I'll give You ..." Have you ever prayed like that? Every person alive, at one time or another, has attempted to bargain with God! The more desperate the situation, the more likely we are to try to 'buy' His favor. But, such an approach to God reveals a basic misunderstanding of Who He is. He is not a Potentate who waits for us to bribe Him for His favor; He is our Father who invites us to ask for what we need. What makes us think we can make a debtor of God anyway? Paul asks, "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" (Romans 11:35, NIV)

In the book of Judges, a book of history from the time of the birth of ancient Israel, comes this tragic story - which should be a lesson to us about attempting to make a deal with God. It's a story of unintended consequences!
"At that time the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he went throughout the land of Gilead and Manasseh, including Mizpah in Gilead, and from there he led an army against the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, "If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him victory. ...When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his one and only child; he had no other sons or daughters. When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. "Oh, my daughter!" he cried out. "You have completely destroyed me! You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back."

And she said, "Father, if you have made a vow to the Lord, you must do to me what you have vowed, for the Lord has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites. But first let me do this one thing: Let me go up and roam in the hills and weep with my friends for two months, because I will die a virgin."

... She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never have children. When she returned home, her father kept the vow he had made, and she died a virgin." (Judges 11:26-40, NLT) Since human sacrifice was forbidden, it is likely that Jephthah did not actually kill his daughter, but rather put her in seclusion for the remainder of her life! That is still a horrific fate for a beautiful young woman.

Jesus taught us that when we come to the Lord - even in those moments of terrible stress - we come praying, "Our Father, ... give us today our daily bread.... forgive us... lead us." He explains that human fathers, though marred by sin and selfishness, desire to provide for their children. That being true, how much more does it stand to reason that a perfect Father will provide for us? There is this caveat: He acts in accordance with His will and purposes. That fact requires great faith, for sometimes He says, "No," to our request, but not because we have not earned a "Yes," but because His plans are different from ours.

So, are you tempted to try to strike a deal with God?
Don't insult His grace! Vows made in desperation may have terrible consequences. Promises made to anyone, including God, are to be kept. Better not to make hasty vows than to live with regret. Religion leads us to try to bargain with God. Understanding His grace leads us to love Him and to receive full provision, for every need, from His hand.Here's a better way to understand your relationship with Him. Read this word from the Word.

" So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT) "And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him." (Hebrews 10:19-22, NLT)