Kirk Franklin “Pray For Me”

I believe that most of you know what  I mean when I say the Prayer of Jabez. But I read it again and I believe we have missed something terribly important.

Jabez called upon 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 would keep me from harm^[c] so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked. – 1 Chronicles 4:10  ESV

What grabs me is the second part which I can say is nowhere near as popular as the first part. There is a prayer here of victory over evil.

The word evil does not appear itself in his prayer at first sight but you notice the little “c” after the word “harm.” That is where the alternative word is written – “evil.” There seems to be an understanding between the difference between evil and pain.

Evil itself might be defined as suffering, calamity, occasional adversity, and disappointment but it is definitely recognized as the absolute lot of all of us here. It is undeniable. May I say that there are immense differences within the range and the limits of what is called evil. I think this is what Jabez might have been saying. He does not pray to be kept from evil but rather from the touch of evil itself. Evil is in the tyrannous rule, its merciless hold, its mocking treatment of those who put their trust in it and if consumed without borders, its destructive results. So he prays to be kept from the evil that would harm and pain the soul.

I think this is the same meaning of the Lord’s Prayer.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.^[d]  –  Matthew 6:13  ESV

How much evil there is that we might pass through. But the deep water does not swamp us. When the disappointed hope and sorrow visit our lives and they will visit the very best of us, they help us become what we are – right, excellent, devout – making the best of today a better tomorrow. It is the evil and the good from God’s hands that disciplines, purifies and elevates us.  Yes, there is another ending should we choose – a sorrow that results in death. It is the one with the hardened heart, soiled consciences, cradled remorse and unavailing regret. It is this evil that we pray will not be ours.

May the Lord give us wisdom to understand.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. – 1 Corinthians 2:14  ESV

The world sees this as foolishness and why not. We live through One who died, we are blessed by One who was made a curse and we are justified by the One who Himself was condemned. Have you ever seen a wise person plant a church or evangelize with the spreading of the gospel? Fishermen did, they were commissioned to disciple the nations, chosen to be vessels to carry this treasure of saving knowledge to the world. The foolishness of God is wiser than us.