Monday, February 8, 2010

February 8, 2010 - 1 Chronicles 4:9,10

(Deep breath...) Today I'm going to tackle the prayer of Jabez. You may have heard of it. The "wealth and prosperity" folks spew it all the time:

"Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.' Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, 'Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you keep me from hurt and harm!' And God granted what he asked."

Now, the "wealth and propsperity" folks seem to think that this prayer is proof that God is somehow mandated to give us what we want, materially. My personal take on the "wealth and prosperity gospel" is that its a lie from the pit of hell. First, God doesn't HAVE to give us anything. He is not some cosmic vending machine and if only we say the right prayers and do the right thing, we'll get what we ask. "In the name of Jesus!" we cry, and expect God to jump. Sorry, Charlie...it don't work that way.

Ok, so if Jabez' prayer doesn't mean that, then what DOES it mean?

First off, Jabez is not asking for health and wealth and material things. God's blessings come in a variety of forms, not all of them material. (In fact, probably very few of them material.) God's blessings are strength to deal with tough times, 30 seconds to enjoy a sunset, the smell of a new baby, a hug from a loved one. God's blessing is perhaps not in sparing your loved one's life, but in giving you the strength to go on after their death. God's blessing is perhaps not in the healthy child you always wanted, but the capacity to love the Down Syndrome child you were given. God's blessing is perhaps not the job you loved and were laid off from, but in learning the joy of living with less.

What about the "enlarge my borders" part? We tend to think of borders as fences. What about enlarging our hearts? What if borders here means more than physical boundaries, but instead means learning to love more, help more, give more?

The "keep me from hurt and harm" is simple enough. We all want that. I read a version in which this is translated as "keep me from causing pain." Puts a little different spin on it, yes? In any case, none of us seeks out pain and anguish.

"And God granted what he asked." God always answers prayer. My daughter puts it this way: "Sometimes He says yes, sometimes He says no, and sometimes He says not yet." I submit we need to look beyond the physical and material, and if we're going to ask God for something, we need to keep in mind the things He has already given us, and be grateful for those things first.

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