Divided loyalties/more on prayer.

My pastor is preaching through the life of Elijah and this past Sunday our sermon was based on 1 Kings 18:16-24:

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions?" If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.
-1 Kings 18:21

We were challenged in the sermon to identify what are our personal "Baals," and to pray for God's mercy to heal us of our idolatry, our divided loyalties. ("No one can serve two masters" -Matthew 6:24.) My personal idols include the usual stuff: marriage, motherhood, the esteem of non-Christian colleagues and acquaintances, my car (nicknamed "Precious"), having a beautiful home, etc.

Anyway, I "cheated" and read ahead in the story.

Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning to noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made... Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
-1 Kings 18:25-26, 29

Reading this, I was struck not by the fact that the LORD eventually shows up Baal's prophets and vindicates Himself as the true, living God (we knew He would). But I was realized that so often my prayers resemble those of the prophets of Baal. So often I feel as though I need to "pray harder" or show myself to be "more fervent" in order to get His attention. Maybe I think He is "...deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened?" (1 Kings 18:27)

So to whom am I really praying when I attempt to maniuplate, control, bribe, and bargain with God in this way? To the LORD, or to some made-up Santa Claus who needs continuous reminding of the fact that I'm on the "nice" list and therefore deserve lots of presents?

Hmm.

I'll be very interested to hear what Pastor George has to say on this passage, next week.