By Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2
If I’d edited the book of First Chronicles using Twain’s approach, I might have crossed out most of the words in the fourth chapter. Listen to verses 1 and 2:
“The sons of Judah were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. And Reaiah the son of Shobal begot Jahath, and Jahath begot Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.”
Zzzzzzzzzz. Not exactly a compelling hook.
If I’d snipped and slashed First Chronicles 4, verses 9 and 10 might have landed in the recycle bin along with its very long list of unpronounceable names. This would be sad, because these two verses teach us how to pray for our writing life.
“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘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.”
Here are four components of Jabez’s prayer, in reverse order, and how they apply to our writing lives:
1. “Keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”
Jabez’s mother had named him Jabez, saying, 'I gave birth to him in pain.'” In Hebrew, the equivalent for Jabez means “he causes pain.” We don’t know what pain Jabez’s mother endured. Perhaps she endured marital struggles. Maybe her baby was born into a home with an absent or deceased father. Jabez could have been unwanted. Perhaps sin enslaved his family, causing his mother pain. Or she could have simply had a difficult delivery. Regardless, the experience was significant enough to memorialize it in her son’s name.
Whatever the circumstances of his birth, Jabez knew God could restore and redeem the pain associated with it if he’d surrender his life to God’s control. God could break any generational sins and end the cycle of destruction they caused. “Keep me from evil,” he prayed, “That I may not cause pain.”
I pray this often for my writing. I ask God to use the painful experiences of my life to help others. I ask him to protect me from pride, selfishness, and independence that can hinder my relationship with Him or my fellow writers. I ask Him to prevent me from causing anyone pain through something I write. “Use my words to bring hope, healing, and happiness,” I ask.
2. “That Your hand would be with me.”
Preparing to lead the Israelites through the desert to the Promised Land, Moses told God, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:14). Jabez prayed similarly, asking for God’s presence and power.
I pray for divine guidance and support for my writing life. I want God to guide every word I write and inspire each blog post, article, devotion, and book. I want His hand to open the publishing doors I should walk through instead of trying to force them open on my own. “Lord, may your hand be with me as I write and speak for You.”
3. “Enlarge my territory.”
Jabez prayed for God to give him greater physical and spiritual territory. I pray for God to expand the borders of my writing life. I ask Him to help me reach every person who needs to read the words God has given me. I ask for more blog subscribers, more speaking opportunities, and more acceptance letters, not for my glory, but for God’s. Not to build my kingdom, but to build His. Not to make a name for myself, but to make much of the name of God. “Enlarge my territory, Lord, so I can share you.”
4. “Bless me, indeed.”
Jabez prayed for God’s favor on his life. I pray for this, too. I ask God to pour into my life everything that will make me more like Jesus. “Lord, if health, wealth, and fame will help me point others to you and advance your kingdom, bless me, indeed. If sickness, poverty, or obscurity better positions me to share the riches of your grace with others, bless me with these, I pray.
Jabez’s prayer is bold and broad. Some might wonder if we are presumptuous to ask God to protect, empower, advance, and bless us like Jabez did.
I don’t.
I know prayers like this, focused on God’s glory and not my own, please God.
How can I be sure?
By God’s response: “So God granted him what he requested.”
Scripture tells us God only answers those prayers that align with His will and honor His purposes (1 John 5:14). As I model my prayer after Jabez’s, I can pray with confidence.
I’m glad I didn’t get to edit Second Chronicles 4. If I did, I might have eliminated one of the greatest prayers a writer can pray over their writing life.
Now it’s your turn. Do you pray over your writing life? What Scriptures empower and direct your prayers? Leave a comment and join the conversation.
TWEETABLE
Lori,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this detailed reminder from the Prayer of Jabez that as Christian writers we need to be incorporating Scripture and praying it into our lives daily. It's a principle that I know but don't always practice as frequently as I need to do so. I love this little prayer from Jabez tucked into Chronicles and heard about it years before the Prayer of Jabez bestseller by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson (who was one of my professors his last semester he taught at Multnomah decades ago).
Terry
author of 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed
You're so right, Terry. I tremble to think how often I sit down to write something "for God," when I haven't even consulted him or asked Him to guide or bless what I write. The reminder here is as much for myself as it is for my writing friends. May we seek the wisdom only God can provide every day!
DeleteWonderful inspiration. I need to write something! After I pray of course.
ReplyDeleteYes. Sir. Can't wait to read it, J.D. :)
DeleteThanks Lori. Targeting this prayer into a specific part - the writing part - of life is easier to visualize than a broad life perspective. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteIt also occurs to me that, "God granted him what he requested" is great encouragement partially because we never hear about another thing he did. He was not a 'pillar of faith' but just a 'regular Joe' who took the time to seek God's face & favor. And God blessed him for that! :)
I love this perspective! You're absolutely right. So often it's not the WHAT that we accomplish as the WHO we obey as we move through our life. Thanks so much for adding this nugget to our discussion today.
DeleteThis is excellent, Lori. Well done! As writers, prayer is the most significant thing we can do. As I wrote my latest book, I bathed every day in prayer. God was faithful to give me fresh ideas and material. We just need to be a willing vessel for His kingdom work. That's all He asks. He supplies the rest: the power, the perseverance, and the wisdom and even creativity. Your attitude most certainly will be pleasing to God. It's NEVER about us, always about Him. Thanks for the fresh inspiration this morning!!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Julie. I wonder, so often, when I struggle, it's because I have not because I asked not . . . God's blessings on your work, Friend!
DeleteLori, your writing is so encouraging. Thanks for sharing the insights God gives you. I do pray over my writing. In fact, as I've been working on a book, I've been amazed the ideas He gives through people He places in my pathway, or things I read and hear. I can step back and see it all come together for His glory, and that's exciting!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Roberta. I've found, as you have, that when we pray, God sensitizes our hearts to see the answers to our prayers -- often right there in front of us where we would have missed them if He hadn't answered our prayers and opened our eyes to them. Why, oh why do we ever think we can go it alone?? Thanks for popping in today.
DeleteThanks for sharing such great perspectives. I pray for my writing and all the things that go along with that, but am not always as bold as Jabez. It can be a tricky line to toe -- I want more subscribers, followers and likes (don't we all :-)), but also don't want to fall into the trap of doing things because I'm chasing numbers. It's all about doing what we can and praying that the things we want line up with God's plan.
ReplyDeleteYes, Leigh, we have to check out motives OFTEN to be sure we want God's glory, not our own. BUT, behind every number is an eternal soul we can impact with God's truth, so I pray over the numbers. The field is white unto harvest!
DeleteYes, a note taped to my computer says "PRAY FIRST". I find comfort and peace when I go to Him in prayer.
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea, Melissa! Post it notes remind me! May God richly bless your writing this year!
DeleteHi Lori,
ReplyDeleteI love this! I never knew the meaning of Jabez' name. What a difference that makes to understanding the prayer. Years ago when Bruce Wilkerson's book came out, I prayed this prayer for myself and my children and I saw that he answered that prayer. At the time, I was in sales, so 'territory' meant sales. When I thought of that word in relation to writing, I thought of platform. However, I had not thought of my writing as expanding spiritual territory for God. That takes the focus off me and on to God. Thank you for that insight!
I, too, have been praying Jabez’s prayer since Bruce’s book, Marilyn. I’m so thankful he called our attention to these two buried verses. I want to be careful not to think of it as something I recite, like a magic spell, but as something that guides my life. Like any portion of scripture, its power is in its truth. Blessings to you today!
DeleteI pray before I write, Lori, but your explanation of these verses encourages me to pray with more fervor and more faith.
ReplyDeleteMay God continue to use both your prayers and your writing, Jeannie!
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