I just received another one of those dumb chain prayers in my inbox - you know, the ones that have a nice prayer for prosperity and then say if you forward it to "7 other people within the next 10 minutes" it promises some sort of blessing?
I get two or three of these a week. "If you want God's blessing," they say, "Don't break the chain."
I have some advice for you. Break the chain.
These "Chain Prayers" are about the furthest thing from authentic Christianity that I can imagine. It borders on the practice of superstition, luck, and good fortune and flies in the face of people who have been called out of the practices of the world for a vibrant and living relationship with Jesus Christ.
Don't be fooled. Jesus doesn't not allow Himself to be manipulated. Do you think the power of these letters forces Him to act on your behalf?
Woe to us for thinking we can create anything good by "passing this prayer onto 10 of your best friends - and, be careful; if you break the chain you'll be out of the blessing!" How absolutely silly!
Well meaning Christians have sent me things like this. You've probably received them as well. Perhap even forwarded them along. (It's okay, you won't loose your salvatoin over it.) These prayers contain wonderful, sympathetic, touch-feely sentiments but they invite us into a practice that lies outside the scope of who we are called to be.
Our "promise of blessings" and "divine favor" do not rise and fall with the forwarding or deleting of a Chain Prayer. We serve a Heavenly Father who delights in giving us all things, simply for the asking. We have been ushered into the very throne of Grace and been invited to speak with Him as a friend. Our blessing, favor, healing, and salvation can only be found there. When we place the source of our blessing in anything less than the Person of Christ we have once again succomed and demoted ourselves back to our old sinful, pagan practice - things that have no place (nor carry any weight) in the Kingdom of God.
So the next time you receive an email promising you fame, success, good fortune, or a special blessing, break it, delete it, and cancel it's power. Don't worry. You won't be keeping another person you love from a special blessing, nor will their day be miserable. What even gives you the idea you have the power to do that in the first place?!
Let's put an end to these chain prayers. Make the decision now to simply tell Jesus your need. (Ask Him to bless everyone in adress book as well!)
