Prophet, Priest and PIRATE

“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.”
~1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV

Other translations put it "that I might not KNOW pain."
It's a big difference in inference. One may sound more selfish- don't let evil hurt me, and the other more altruistic-don't let me hurt anybody. evil is not necissarily synonimous with Satan. Evil is the fact of suffering, misfortune, and wrongdoing. Evil is something that brings sorrow, distress, or calamity. There is evil in the world, and has been ever since the fall of Adam. Like it or not, there is evil in each one of us due to our sinful natures. And of course, Satan uses, delights in, and initiates all kinds of evil.

1 Timothy 6:10 says that money is at the root of all kinds of evil. Does that mean that praying the Jabez Prayer, is asking God to deny you money? Not at all.

If anything, this last petition is really a repitition of the first one. If you are being made happy (blessed), than you're being kept from sorrow and distress. What's the best way for that to happen? By surrenduring our will to Gods. Think about it, if you want what He wants, you'll always be happy.

"I cannot pray in the name of Jesus to have my own will; the name of Jesus is not a signature of no importance, but the decisive factor. The fact that the name of Jesus comes at the beginning does not make it a prayer in the name of Jesus; but this means to pray in such a manner that I dare name Jesus in it, that is to say, dare to think of Him, think His holy will together with whatever I am praying for." ~Sören Kierkegaard

There are two aspects of the Lord's Prayer here. Both the "Thy will be done on Earth on it is in Heaven," and "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."


PRAYER:

Lord,

If it's Your will,
protect me from suffering and misfortune.
don't let me have to experience sorrow or distress

Since You want to use me as Your instrument,
don't allow me, by what I say, do, or fail to do
to cause misfortune or suffering to others.
Don't let me cause sorrow or distress for others.

Protect me from
evil, sin, and temptation in the world
from my own sinful, evil human nature, drives and desires
and from Satan and his demons...

so that I will not experience or cause pain.

In Jesus' name,
Amen