Thursday, June 30, 2011

I Chronicles 4:10 NASB

Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm, that it may not pain me!"  And God granted him what he requested.

The world of prayer, the truth be told, is a psychological and emotional wilderness.  Many prayers, even among so called Christians, border on the superstitious rather than being truly Christian, where we carry it like some would a rabbit's foot, rubbing it every once in awhile to insure good luck.  Some prayers are only the expression of one's religious belief system; practicing a form of religion rather than knowing a genuine faith in the true God.  Behind much praying is a "Genie in the bottle" mentality, where praying is nothing but a daily wish list of desires, dreams and aspirations.  Most people pray when in great pain, upon facing bad news, or when in imminent danger, without giving much thought to the "Who?" behind the curtain.  They just want a miracle, no matter the source.  It happens almost instinctively; like a reflex.  I think much of the whoop-la over the "Prayer of Jabez" has risen out of a desperate desire to quench an insatiable thirst for what we consider to be our "inalienable rights":  the satisfying of all our wants, needs and feelings.  In our craze to satisfy our self-centered appetite, this verse has been "discovered" as a map to hidden treasure.  If we could only read the map right, we would have our requests granted.  Don't you think it's time we put the "map" down and consider only one thing?  Who is this God Jabez is praying to?  Who in the world is He!?  I think, more than anything, this prayer of Jabez is not about the answer to prayer. There is no secret formula on how to get our wants and wishes here!  Every time we seek formula's, it's a only a formula for disaster because it focuses attention on finding answers rather than finding God.  It puts attention on the last part of this verse,  "And God granted him what he requested", rather than the first part:  "Now Jabez called on the God of Israel".   God help us!  This verse is about one thing and one thing only:  it is a declaration of God and a man of God!  It is the testimony of one, among a list of many, who really knew God and who was known by God. That's all that matters!  Do you and I really know this God?  Or are we lost in the same hopeless wilderness many call "prayer"? 

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