"Soap opera prayers"
Too many times we pray as a LAST resort! Years ago (before she knew better) my wife used to watch a soap opera called GENERAL HOSPITAL. How many of you ever saw that … now be honest. Of course, I had NO interest in it whatsoever --- I mean who cares what Luke and Laura were doing --- well, I couldn’t help but see it now and then.
Anyway, I heard a lot of what I call “soap opera prayers.” Someone would wander into the GENERAL HOSPITAL chapel and say something like this: “Uh, God, I know you haven’t heard from me for a long time. But right now I really need you. If’ you’ll just help me out this one time, I promise I won’t bother you again!”
It’s too bad when prayer is saved for a last resort --- a spare tire ---something to pull out only after you’ve worn out every other alternative. That’s not the way prayer was meant to be.