In Defense of Jabez

First Things ^ | 10/01 | Phillip Zaleski

[spycatcher]

As Daliai Lama says:

"To recite the Medicine Buddha Mantra brings inconceivable merit... If you recite the mantra every day, the buddhas and bodhisattvas will always pay attention to you, and they will guide you. All your negative karmas will be pacified and you will never be born in the three lower realms.... and all your wishes are fulfilled." The audience was instructed to "recite mantras of Medicine Buddha at least three times a day. "Imagine all elements... and perfect balance restored... [to] assure longevity," he added with a reminder to "practice... day and night." He warned his audience not "to visualize the rituals of tantra for purpose of gaining wealth."

as Wilkinson writes,

"You don't reach the next level of blessing and stay there. You begin again -- Lord, bless me indeed! Lord, please enlarge...! And so on. As the cycle repeats itself, you'll find that you are steadily moving into wider spheres of blessing and influence, spiraling ever outward and upward into a larger life for God.... You will know beyond doubt that God has opened heaven's storehouses because you prayed."

"The world of American religion is going through enormous change. It will be increasingly difficult to distinguish Christians and Buddhists." -- University of Chicago sociologist Stephen R. Warner. Buddhism on the Move

Maybe I need to go Walk the Labryinth

Or better yet just let my fingers do the walking Ouija-style!

[spycatcher]

see above

[Sans-Culotte]

I don't know why you addressed that "Walking the Labyrinth" stuff to me, as I said I don't do the Jabez prayer. I also would dispute with Wilkinson the story of Jabez as he interprets it. However, the book makes plain that the enlargement of territory is not about material things, and the passage you quoted does not refer to material things.

As to the constant repetition or chanting of the same prayer-I suppose one would do it in a meditative way so as to not let your mind be distracted during the prayer. This sort of approach (and indeed the Labyrinth thing) are not IMO unlike the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, which also involves meditation in addition to conscious prayer. I don't do Lectio Divina either, but it has been around for centuries and does not represent a new Buddha-izing of Christianity.

I agree that the merchandising of the Jabez thing is rather tasteless, but I cannot think that praying to God to enlarge one's area of influence to bring people to the faith is a bad thing.

[Marysecretary]

I LOVED THIS BOOK AND SO DID MY HUSBAND. He doesn't read much but this was a short volume and now we both pray the prayer every day. God WANTS to bless us not so we can keep the blessing ourselves but to bless others. He wants to give us supernatural gifts in order to be able to bless others. To enlarge our territory only means to give us more opportunities for ministry. We need to have God's hand upon that ministry and to have the anointing for it. We need his protection against the evil one and not to cause any evil or pain ourselves. It's a wonderful prayer and I buy the book at Walmart's every time I go in as Christmas gifts to my loved ones. I tell folks not to knock it til they've tried it! Great book. Thanks for the post.

[spycatcher]

My reply was to emphasize that although you may not see any harm in it, it may be connected to a harmful undercurrent of modern mysticism that teaches people to use "techniques and technologies" to gain enlightenment and power.

Wilkinson's words about enlarging territory -- "the cycle repeats itself, you'll find that you are steadily moving into wider spheres of blessing and influence, spiraling ever outward and upward" -- made me think of the labryinth. Of course that gave me the creeps. But the labryinth-walkers claim it's harmless also because it's an ancient practice.

To me this seems to be headed back toward ritual and mantras and away from the person and message of Christ. The book could have been written without the ritual and been a great message, but it wouldn't have been as lucrative for the author. Maybe he should have called it "Cotton Candy for the Soul." People love it, and it may not be good for you but it probably won't kill you.

[TexasRepublic]

Parroting a formulaic prayer does no more good than spinning a prayer wheel. It is mechanistic with no thought or feeling behind it.

[Revelation 911]

"He meant, rather to pray for the enlargement of one's territory of influence on behalf of God. It's a pity that rags like The Enquirer portray the book as a "rags-to-riches prayer, but that simply is not the case. Jabez is not the most profound book I've ever read, but I can see where it has value for some."

Amen - you said what I was thinking - I read it exactly the same way.

[Aquinasfan]

Parroting a formulaic prayer does no more good than spinning a prayer wheel.

But you can't assume that that is the case in every case, as the many witnesses here attest. The prayer seems to be yielding good fruit.

And as Sans-Culotte mentioned above, one can use repetitive prayer as a "background" for deeper meditation. Such is the case with the much-maligned Rosary. Repeating the "Hail Mary's" can clear every day worries and distractions from the mind and free one to meditate on Christ's life, death and resurrection.

[Aquinasfan]

God WANTS to bless us not so we can keep the blessing ourselves but to bless others. He wants to give us supernatural gifts in order to be able to bless others. To enlarge our territory only means to give us more opportunities for ministry.

That's a message that some Christians need to hear, particularly those who have suffered a lot. I include myself among those who need to hear this message. Not because I've suffered more than anyone else, but because psychologically I don't easily accept the fact that God wants to bless us.

But I have experienced God's generosity through a CPC that I am involved with. The Lord has rewarded the faithful work and witness of many Christians with a 100-fold increase, year after year.

[Fifth Business]

I was sent a copy of this book by a charity that I contribute to, so I read it one lunchbreak. It struck me as ultimately purposeless, since he starts with an assertion that he spends the rest of the book undermining and redefining. In the end I didn't know whether to ask for Texas, opportunities to convert the heathen, or for whatever the heck was God's will for my life anyway.

[Marysecretary]

Just pray the prayer and believe God wants to bless you supernaturally. Quit trying to figure it all out and take it by faith that He loves you and wants to bless you.

[jude24]

Okay, now I have time for a more detailed critique.

The objections to books like The Prayer of Jabez center on two main points. One is theological, and the other is moral.

If there is a prayer for the believer to pattern his life around... is it the one found in an obscure text of Old Testament never again quoted? It would seem to me that the Lord's Prayer has much more to recommend itself than Jabez. It's in both Matthew and Luke, and was given expressly as a pattern, unlike Jabez. When the disciples asked Christ to teach them to pray, He did not say, "You know this man Jabez? This is how you should pray." Not at all. He said, "When you pray, say: 'Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven....'" (Luke 11:2) and so on and so forth.

The Prayer of Jabez is sorely lacking in much that the Lord's prayer communicates. The Lord's Prayer begins with worship ("Hallowed be thy name") and a proper understanding of God as Sovreign, and by extension, our relationship to Him as dependent servants ("thy kingdom come, thy will be done...."). Only then does the Lord's prayer make a request for even the basic necessities of life (daily bread), but not without acknowleging our unworthiness and asking for forgiveness.

I challange you to find anywhere near that amount in the Prayer of Jabez. The best anyone has come up with was that he prayed for an enlarged ministry, which is dubious to me, at best. All I can see is that the man prayed for more land, and that he wouldn't "cause pain."

And as for the reciting it every day bit... that seems to me "vain reptition," which is derided in the Sermon the Mount.

Then there's the question of all the merchandising going on in the name of Jabez... tshirts... cd's... keychains... bumper stickers... coffee cups. What's next? Jabez:the Lunchbox? Jabez: The Breakfast Cereal?

[Illbay]

Bodhisattva, would you take me by the hand
Bodhisattva, would you take me by the hand
Can you show me the shine in your Japan
The sparkle of your China, can you show me
Bodhisattva

Bodhisattva, I'm gonna sell my house in town
Bodhisattva, I'm gonna sell my house in town
And I'll be there, I'll shine in your Japan
I'll sparkle in your China, yes I'll be there
Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva

{Repeat both}

Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva
Look out

-- Steely Dan, Bodhisattva, from "Countdown to Ecstasy" (1973)

[spycatcher]

Good post. I just realized why these pop-ministers are all falling over themselves to endorse "The Magic Prayer." Since he prayed for an enlarged ministry and that he wouldn't "cause pain" it's just what they all want -- a giant church or book deal for bragging rights with all the other ministers, and to avoid preaching a message that might cause pain in anyone's conscience.

We would be better off saying a prayer of deep repentance and death to self each and every day.

[Gotterdammerung]

Maybe the christians in the Sudan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and in Palestine who are being murdered by Muslims can use the Prayer of Jabez! Maybe God will "enlarge" their territory. Someone should take this book over there, I'm sure they'll "sell" like hotcakes.

[Thumper1960]

The best "prayer" for Christians in those lands is the one that is chanted to the staccatto popping of an AR-15 or AK-47, as they mow down the bloody-eyed Muslim attackers.

Christ and God never were solely about meek and mild repentance.

[Aquinasfan]

All valid criticisms. I don't think this prayer should be central to anyone's prayer life. OTOH, if it gets someone to dust of their Bible or returns someone to their faith, I'm in favor of it.

[Aquinasfan]

I love that tune! Unfortunately, like most Steely Dan songs, I don't know what the hell their talking about.

[Illbay]

I think that it is easier to enjoy the songs if you don't think about the MEANING of the lyrics--though they are often fraught with meaning--and just think of them like Gertrude Stein poetry: The words as music.

Steely Dan is incomparable.

[Aquinasfan]

and just think of them like Gertrude Stein poetry: The words as music.

That's the way I've felt about a lot of their songs. But I haven't been able to figure out if I really believe it or if I'm just making excuses for nonsense lyrics. I think I agree with you though.

Take, "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles. To me, the lyrics are just pretentious nonsense. But there is something "there" in Steely Dan tunes like "Do it Again," "Black Friday," "Aja," and many others. It's poetry.

Steely Dan stands the test of time very well.