The Prayer of Jabez—Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce Wilkinson is a small book which encourages its readers to make a prayer found in 1 Chronicles 4 their own: “Oh, that You [God] 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.”

Wilkinson invites readers to begin praying this prayer daily, while tracking the results in a journal. Judging by the sales figures, it would seem many people are benefiting from Wilkinson’s insights, including some people I greatly respect and admire.

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Still, I guess I’ve just been thinking lately about what a blessed life looks like.

For those of you who don’t know, my wife, Lisa, is pregnant with our second child. Even before we found out it was a girl (at 16 weeks), my three-and-a-half-year-old son had already started calling the baby Gracie. We all liked the name and each of us has been looking forward to expanding the territory of our tiny beach house with another life.

But last Wednesday (June 20th) at just 24 weeks, my wife’s water broke. She was admitted to hospital as a high-risk pregnancy patient and will remain there until we give birth, no matter what the date or outcome. Every day I walk home from the hospital and pray that Gracie will have another infection-free day in Lisa’s womb. Each day under our belt gives us a better chance at viability. Even so, I know that my prayer may not be answered the way I'd like. I know this, because I’ve prayed it before—for two other children we lost before being blessed with our son.

I guess I'm learning that everything doesn’t always work out “right” or according to my desires. Life is filled with pain and joy, darkness and light, and I’m convinced that God uses both to speak to us.

So for those of you who may feel more like Jezebel than Jabez at the moment, who are struggling to understand the ways of God and his peculiar kisses, be encouraged and know that there are many of us on this journey with you.

Despite my postmodern mind, still I yearn for the world where things are simple. Where “name it, claim it and frame it” actually works. And where bad things don’t happen to good people. But that just hasn’t been my experience.

For those whose lives have been transformed by The Prayer of Jabez, I celebrate with you. But if it hasn’t “worked” (whatever that might mean), I don’t believe it reflects a lack of faith, or God’s displeasure. Jesus went through immense suffering and his faith was perfect. Had he prayed Jabez’ words at Gethsemane, the outcome would not have changed. God in his sovereignty and great love, is committed to all his children. The challenge, I guess, is to see and feel that love in the midst of both pain and pleasure.

As always, I’d love to dialogue with you about this idea and your experiences. I’d also receive any and all prayers you'd like to offer for Gracie.

Will I continue to try and negotiate with God on this one? Of course. I will plead and cry out and beg... But at the end of it all, I will throw myself at his mercy and call him God.

It’s funny. I thought the greatest difficulty with this pregnancy would be the October 10th due date—right in the middle of Soularize and the Damah Film Festival. But even then, God knew what he was doing and he knows what he's doing now.

A fellow traveler,


Spencer

Other thoughts. I would love to hear your feed-back.

Feed Back on TheOoze Message Board

Other "heresy" Spencer thinks he believes...

A Trinity of Transition

Fear, Anger or Love

Unpackaging the Church

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RESOURCES

Video of the Week:

href=F="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000399WR/theooze">The Producers (1968)


Directed by Mel Brooks


The stage version of this show biz farce swept the Tony Awards earlier this year. Here is the 1968 film original. This Mel Brooks’ directorial debut stars Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel. It’s the story of planned chaos gone awry.

Book of the Week:

The
Intimate Merton : His Life from His Journals


Thomas Merton is my favourite author. The Intimate Merton contains selections from his journals over the years and reveals a man struggling to know God and live life honestly in all things. He talks about everything from meeting the Dalai Lama to falling in love 25 years after entering the monastery. As one reviewer put it: “If you like your saints packaged without the messiness of an actual error-filled life, this book is not for you.”

CD of the Week:

HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005B4GU/theooze">Amnesiac


Radiohead (2001)


This album explores the darker side of their earlier album, Kid A. Angst finds expression not only in the band’s sound, but in the packaging. The CD is packed in a crushed tin box and contains a great art booklet. Interesting to both listen to and look at.

LINKS:

HREF="http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A0=postmodern-christian">Postmodernism and the Church Listserve


A UK site where you can dialogue on the cultural and theological issues raised by postmodernism. This one was around before the web - when text ruled the dial-up.

HREF="http://www.poemsthatgo.com/poems.htm">www.poemsthatgo.com


Where poetry, art and new media meet.

HREF="http://www.absurd.org">www.absurd.org


A site celebrating the chaos of life. don't freak out at the first link, just wait it out... you'll see.