The Prayer of Jabez

by Jim Watkins
Published June 10, 2005

Bruce Wilkinson’s book is the 'Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sundae' in the smorgasbord of spirituality. Read my review of the book, then read a variety of reactions. Bon appetit!

Last summer, the hottest-selling book was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire about a young wannabe wizard at the Hogwart School of witchcraft. This summer, The Prayer of Jabez by Bible teacher Bruce Wilkinson is hotter than a firecracker. It’s rocketed to the top of all the best-seller lists from USA Today to amazon.com with over 4 million copies sold. What a difference a year makes!

I like Bruce and I like the book. And heaven knows our world, with murdering moms, global warming, and political terrorism, needs all the prayer it can get.

Just in case you haven’t read the book, heard the audio tape, or seen the coffee mugs, plaques, and engraved coins, here’s the prayer from 1 Chronicles 4:9-10:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested (New King James Version).

Not only do I like The Prayer of Jabez, but I like dessert: chocolate cake, chocolate brownies, and chocolate chip cookies. Actually, I like any thing chocolate although I do draw the line at chocolate covered ants.

Wilkinson’s book is the “Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sundae” in the smorgasbord of spirituality. But there needs to be balance.

That’s why I’d suggest that, if you’re going to pray the Jabez prayer every day as the author teaches, that you add some fruits, veggies, carbs, and protein to your spiritual diet by adding “The Prayer of Jesus.”

Jabez asks God to bless him indeed. Jesus blesses God with “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”

Jabez asks for material blessings: “enlarge my territory.” Jesus asks for God's “will [to] be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread.” (Wilkinson spiritualizes the “territory” as our sphere of influence, but in the context of the passage, Jabez simply wants to add more acreage to his sheep ranch.)

Jabez does pray that God would keep him from evil as Jesus does: “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."

But then Jabez asks for pain-free life. Wilkinson uses the New King James Version of the Bible which reads, “. . . that I may not cause pain!" However, every other major translation renders the Hebrew as “that it may not grieve me” (KJV), “that I will be free from pain” (NIV), “that it may not pain me'' (NASB), “that it might not hurt me" (RSV), and “that you would keep me from hurt and harm" (NRSV).

Hmmm? Didn’t Jesus say something about his followers taking up their crosses? Denying their selfish ambitions? Rejoicing in suffering?

While God did answer Jabez’s prayer, not all prayers are answered, even in the famous “Faith Chapter” of the Bible.

After a long list of amazing miracles and answers to prayer, Hebrews 11 ends with

And others were tortured and refused to be released . . . . Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.

” No blessing indeed; no extended territories. (Incidentally, Jabez is not included in Hebrew’s hall of faith.)

So, if you choose to pray the prayer of Jabez, why not pray the prayer of Jesus as well? (When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He didn’t quote Jabez!)

And if you’ve read The Prayer of Jabez, pick up Wilkinson’s second book in the series, Secrets of the Vine which provides a healthy serving of meat and potatoes to the rich desserts in the first. A balanced diet is essential for health--physically and spiritually.

Bon appetit!

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