Bargaining with God?
At the end of every semester I am inundated with emails, messages, and urgent requests from students. Here are some actual examples from this semester:
“I should have read the syllabus more carefully. Im gonna be honest the reason why i was absent so many times is due to the fact that my work hours clashed with school hours… Is there any way i can pass this class at all now?”
“I am so sorry that i didn’t make it to class. I was at the hospital all night with my cousin…”
“I understand my absences are adding up and I am apologetic to let it be known … is there anything I can do to make up the missing work?”
“I really want an A in this class. What can I do to make up all my missing work?”
With these last-minute requests, I try to be kind, but firm. When there are extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control–illness, a family emergency, mental health issues–I tend to be more understanding. But often students just don’t come to class, and/or don’t submit the work or give the speech. And at the end of the semester they want mercy and grace. They want mercy, not to get what they deserve, which is often a low or failing grade. They want grace, to be given something they don’t deserve–a good grade.
Aren’t we just like my students at times?! Do you ever bargain with God? I have. God, if I _______ will You please ___________? If you have ever bargained with God, you’re in good company. Abraham bargains with God in Genesis to try to prevent the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham says “suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?” Genesis 19:24. Abraham continues – what if there are 45, or 40, and so on, until he gets down to 10 righteous people. It’s almost a lesson in bargaining! What was the result? Lot and his family were saved, but the cities were destroyed. God had mercy on Lot and He preserved a remnant–those who follow Him.
We depend on God’s mercy–we want God’s love, not His wrath. We rely on God’s grace each day.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.
We are given his love, forgiveness, guidance, and power of the Holy Spirit to live and walk with Him. I don’t want to bargain with God, but I do want to rely more and more on his abundant grace and mercy for daily life.
Romans 9:27-29 New International Version (NIV)
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”[a]
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.”[b]
Oh Katie, I can identify. God will have a judgement day, though, just as those of us who have similar classroom experiences must give failing grades for poor performance. Fritz Ridenhour once wrote in his study on Romans that God doesn’t grade on a curve. I didn’t either, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get a sick headache and throw up after failing students. My heart wanted them to pass, but my mind said they didn’t have mastery. God must feel that distress when we fail.
Luwana,
Thanks for your comment. I never understood why some profs grade on a curve. I have learned a mantra that I use in teaching to keep me sane – “I can’t care more than they do.” It helps! And it doesn’t count if they only care at the very end of the semester.
I agree – God must be grieved when we fail Him. A sobering thought,
Katie
I am thankful for God’s grace and mercy. Although I try to do my best every single day, there are moments when I fail Him.
Yes, Iris, we all fail Him. I was reading in 1 John today. As long as we don’t “keep on sinning” but go to Him for forgiveness when we do fail, His forgiveness is right there – thank God!
Good word, Katie. I cited the equivalent of one of your student’s pleas to the Lord just this week! I am abundantly thankful for His grace but don’t want to rely on it as an excuse for irresponsible living. I do know His grace covers it all… hallelujah! bub
Amen, Barbara. God’s mercy should lead us to repentance – a good verse (and also a pretty cool Christian rap song!). Blessings – Katie