ME, MY, ME, ME, and ME!

Good morning precious and blessed children of the Most-high God,

A few years back one of Rachel's college buddies visited, and before he left I asked if we could pray tgether. He automatically stood up and reached for my hand, which made me chuckle because he had been down this road before and remembered how much I like making a prayer circle!

As we stood in our little circle, I asked if he had any personal requests, any areas where He would like to see the mighty hand of God move. He replied, "I do not feel comfortable asking for myself, but I would like for God to help my mom, dad, and brother."

It grieves me when people say to me they don't feel right praying for themselves, and I hear it so often that it's time to set the record straight. The Bible, as our infallible guide for living, very clearly states - in more than one verse - that we can and should pray for ourselves.  The best verse to drive this point home is found in 1 Chronicles 4:10, "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 so that it might not bring me pain!'"  And God granted what he asked."

This is such a fully-loaded passage, but notice all the self-centered pronouns...the me, my, me, me, and me sequence.  Jabez was praying for himself! And let's not overlook the very last part of the verse: AND GOD GRANTED WHAT HE ASKED.

Could it be that praying for ourselves is actually the best thing for our families?  I constantly remind my children and husband that an emotionally stable, joy-filled, peace-infused, calm-exuding, lighthearted, keeping-the-faith, unruffled Yenise is the very best gift I can give to them.  This is why I pray for myself every single day.  By the way, of course I prayed for that young man's family, but I also prayed for him!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Your Word is clear that we can and should pray for ourselves.  And most importantly, You grant our requests.  We lift up our voice just like Jabez did and pray that You would bless us and enlarge our borders.  We especially need bigger faith, stronger hope, an expansion of hope, more love, an increase in our praying. We pray that Your hand would be with us - guiding us - and that You would keep us from harm.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~