The Prayer of Jabez

I’d heard of the Prayer of Jabez before but knew nothing about it really. Until today.

It’s just one verse tucked away among these lists of names in the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles. Here it is in the New International Version –

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.  1 Chronicles 4:10

And in The Message –

Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked.  1 Chronicles 4:10

So I googled it and got a remarkable number of hits. I was right. This is a popular verse. It makes for a great fridge magnet.

It inspired a book –The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce Wilkinson (2000, Multnomah Books) that became an international bestseller, topping the New York Times bestseller list and selling nine million copies. It doesn’t surprise me. This is the kind of verse people are happy to pluck out of context from the obscure parts of the Old Testament. This is the kind of good news we all yearn for. This is the kind of promise we all would love to live by.

The writer of this book encouraged his readers to pray this prayer on a daily basis –

 I challenge you to make the Jabez prayer for blessing part of the daily fabric of your life. To do that, I encourage you to follow unwaveringly the plan outlined here for the next thirty days. By the end of that time, you’ll be noticing significant changes in your life, and the prayer will be on its way to becoming a treasured, lifelong habit.  (Wikipedia)

It sounds rather like a Cillit Bang advert to me.

I have a real issue with this kind of thinking. A massive issue. I am not alone.

During an uneventful time in Israel’s history, a faithful man named Jabez prayed a simple, straightforward prayer and gained the favour and blessings of God. Now, a small book (Wilkinson’s book) has prompted millions of saints and seekers to memorise and repeat the same prayer daily. After three thousand years of obscurity, Jabez has found surprising favor with the world.

So, what’s the problem with promoting a Biblical prayer that God honored in His Word? After all, our Lord delights in the prayers of His saints — all the daily thanks, praises and petitions that turn our hearts to Him in faith, worship and surrender. Using Bible verses as a basis for prayer and worship is a wonderful habit. Why be concerned? (Berit Kjos)

• because this whole way of thinking smacks of a prosperity gospel that misleads and makes promises God has never made about success and material prosperity
• because it encourages people to believe that if they name it and claim it, they will always get it (that their way will always be God’s way)
• because it gives too much significance to a few words (a magic formula) of an otherwise unknown man and dismisses all the prayers previously mentioned by the men and women of God who have lived lives committed to following God’s way through thick and thin
• because it encourages the search for a quick fix for individuals who cannot make the time to really get to know God through the stories and the journey through the Bible
• because it focuses on the gifts rather than the giver – on what God can do for us, rather than who God is
• because it implies that God’s answer will always be Yes
• because it leaves no room for illness and poverty and suffering (that are very real and cannot be denied)
• because it raises false expectations of what God will do and must inevitably in some cases lead to disappointment and disillusionment
• because God has made it clear that suffering is always going to be an essential part of any individual’s journey

So I’m not a fan of this kind of teaching. Can you tell?

I’m not looking for a faith formula with all the answers and promises for a successful, prosperous life. Yes, I’d like a bit more money and I’d love to be able to guarantee the health and happiness of my children. But what matters far more to me to is be developing a resilient faith in a resilient ever-faithful God who will walk with me through whatever life will throw at me. I do not want to be that person that judges others when things go badly in their lives for their lack of faith – I want to be the one to walk beside them in compassion. I will not be the one to base my whole faith journey on the promises of one obscure verse, but want to discover more and more of God through the pages of His word and the experiences of those around me day after day after day. I will never tell anyone that all their problems will disappear if they follow God’s ways, but I can tell them that the presence of God enriches my life every single day and gives me the grace and strength to carry on, whatever I am going through.

This is the good news (imho).

So never buy me a Prayer of Jabez fridge magnet. I’d rather have one of these –

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. Isaiah 43:1-3