A Prayer for Your Family

By Michael Griego on April 25, 2025 • ( 1 )

Here is a simple framework that will help direct specific prayers for you and your family and quite possibly redirect your personal prayer life. It does come with a very important caveat. ♦

I was with a group of men this week and the topic of prayer came up and the question of how does one really speak to God. There were statements of doubt and real wondering as to whether God even listens to us or even bothers with those of us who may feel unworthy.

Of course, God loves us as parents love their children. And God listens, and has provided access to Himself directly through the supernatural vehicle of prayer.

I shared with the group a simple and memorable (and Biblical) framework that I use to pray for myself, my wife, and each member of my family. It’s not a divine formula, but merely good guidance for keeping prayers focused on God’s will for us.

A Simple 4-Part Prayer Framework
In 1 Chronicles, there are literally 9 chapters of boring lists of names and genealogies of Old Testament patriarchs. Many people will skip over this section of the Bible because it mundanely lists the entire family tree of Hebrew tribes, beginning with Adam through Abraham, the first Hebrew, and proceeding through thousands of years to Israel’s return from captivity.

The list goes on and on for more than 500 hard-to-pronounce and unfamiliar names. See for yourself. You will be astounded, and bored.

However, there is a little sidebar story in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. It’s the story that Bruce Wilkinson wrote a whole little book about, The Prayer of Jabez.¹ It’s a book that became very successful in its time and actually helped change my prayer life and I believe the trajectory of my family through prayer.

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (1Chronicles 4:9-10)

You’ll notice that the Biblical text before and after is merely documentation of names and lineage. Wilkinson noted the extra attention (2 verses!) given to this one man Jabez.

The simple prayer of Jabez in verse 10 can be broken down into four components. Each of these becomes a key part of a 4-part framework that is memorable, powerful and useful in praying for oneself as well as any one of your choosing.

What a gift to have someone pray for these key elements for you. It is a gift I still give to my wife and family, now three grown children, their spouses, and our 10 grandchildren.

Take note and marvel at the simplicity yet profound depth of request and petition. If we take prayer seriously, as Christ did and modeled for us in communicating with the Father and Creator of all things, then take this to heart and transform your life and that of your loved ones.

1. Blessing Today – “Oh that you would greatly bless me!”
To bless in the biblical sense means to ask for or to impart supernatural favor. “The Lord’s blessing is our greatest wealth; all our work adds nothing to it.” (Proverbs 10:22). We completely place full trust and faith in God’s will, not ours. We want nothing more or less than what He wants. This is not spiritual gold digging; rather it is yielding to our Good Father whose nature is to love. He finds no obstacles in this selfless prayer.

2. Territory Expansion – “Oh that you would enlarge my territory!”
Now ask God to enlarge one’s life so one can make a greater impact for Him. More influence, more responsibility, more opportunity to make a mark for the Kingdom. Territory can be translated coast or borders, with meanings similar to words homestead or frontier to American pioneers. Your business, home, family, contact circle is the territory or domain God has entrusted to you. Ask God for expansion of your life’s impact across new territory.

3. God’s Guidance – “Oh that your hand would be with me!”
Now release God’s power to accomplish His will and bring Him glory through even apparent impossibilities. When God’s blessings come and borders get expanded, we need a divine hand giving peace and direction. Asking for His power and presence is a strategic and obedient choice to sustain and continue great things He is doing in our life. Surrender and give up all your motions and decision-making to our wise God.

4. God’s Protection – Oh that you would keep me from pain (or evil)!
Success brings opportunity for failure. In the spiritual realm, success makes us open targets to the enemy who seeks to destroy, distract, oppose and oppress all that is good, blessed and of divine influence. Jesus prayed for deliverance: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Plead for spiritual, physical and emotional safekeeping as we’re prone and susceptible to deception and blind spots.

A Word of Caution
There is no divine secret found in the prayer of Jabez. Many people took it that way back in 2001 when the book launched to much fanfare. It simply highlights 4 key elements we could be praying for, for ourselves and anyone else.

And as God listens and responds to the prayers of His children, asking for God’s blessings, our expanded impact in the kingdom, God’s guidance of us for His will, and God’s protection over evil, are very good things to pray for. See these 4 elements as merely a framework that is memorable and very easy to apply.

That combined with a posture of humility and submission is good guidance for any of us who approach God on behalf of ourselves and our family.

Have you prayed honorably for your family today?
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Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain. And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would greatly bless me and expand my territory! May your hand be with me. Keep me from harm so I might not endure pain!” God answered his prayer. – 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

¹The Prayer of Jabez, by Bruce Wilkinson, Multnomah Books, 2001.