The last time I called on God, it was to ask Him to help me pass my philosophy final last semester.

I know. I’m not the most devout Catholic; my talks with the Man upstairs are usually few and far between. It actually wasn’t until I saw a girl with a black cross on her forehead sitting in one of my classes that I realized the season of Lent had begun. However, unlike most people, I can admit that my relationship with the Almighty is less than perfect.

Why is it that when our lives are less than ideal, or when we need an ordinary miracle, like a passing grade on an exam that we barely studied for, we suddenly remember that God exists, or at least that there is a higher power to whom we can turn for help? How, why and when did faith become a matter of convenience? Why do most “believers” in God choose to associate themselves with Him at times only when their lives are in peril or when they seek guidance?

Since 2001, God has been “on call.” Since that year, Americans have witnessed some of the most catastrophic events that have ever shook our nation. The Sep. 11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the decaying state of our economy have left millions of Americans searching for hope and answers — both of which they expect to find in their two-minute conversations with God, in between coffee breaks or while waiting for the bus.

In today’s society, God seems to be in that “In Case of Emergency” glass case, which can be broken only by our desperate pleas for help when our lives have taken an unexpected turn for the worse. Only in our moments of crises do we ask the Lord for his divine intervention. When all is well in our lives, what do we ask God for? Do we ask Him for anything at all?

Perhaps the reason behind this cultural trend lies with our changing perception of God’s purpose in our lives. With ever-advancing technology aiding us with everyday struggles, some may think, “Who needs God when I have an iPhone or a laptop?” In our fast-paced world, most of us feel more confident choosing to rely on answers provided by Google than by the Almighty. Maybe we, the modern-day “believers,” began to have more faith in expediency than we did in our God because the answers to most of our questions could instantly be found on our handheld devices.

However, when life takes its toll on us, and we’re faced with issues such as poverty, death, natural disaster or personal conflict, even the modern-day believers come to the sobering realization that some answers cannot be found so easily. It is only then that we clasp our hands together, break the glass case we’ve kept Him in and ask the Lord for His help, guidance, patience and strength. We ask that He aid us in the battles we know can only be won with Him as our ally.

God shouldn’t be put on reserve or kept in the “In Case of Emergency” case. He shouldn’t be thought of as an old friend whom we choose to remember only on certain occasions. As much as we tend to forget it, He is always there aiding us in our day-to-day conflicts, allowing us to walk, talk and, most importantly, live.

I’m not sure exactly what I’ll be giving up for Lent this year, but I do know what I’ll be giving more of: attention to the Man upstairs. Our relationship may not be perfect, but it shouldn’t be based on convenience.