IN VIEW OF ‘JACOB’S TROUBLE.’

Lord, lessen the pain and the horror of the coming JACOB’S TROUBLE,

The time of Israel’s worldwide violence and humiliation

If at all possible, even do away with it.

It’s a bold and audacious request, but then You are God,

One who has the power to change times and seasons

And ‘outsmart’ every damning plan of the enemy

Oh God, change it, take it away, spare Yourself of it, we pray.

Your stiff-necked people do not deserve this release

But You, O Loving Father, deserve to be spared the pain.

For is it not You who will hurt the most when Your people are hurt?

Is it not You who will feel the horror, the violation, the humiliation and the pain

When Your people go through all these atrocities again? Again?

Are You going to let puny wicked men violate You all over again?

Have You not borne it all already on the Cross at Calvary?

Must You go through it all again? O God, will You allow us to ‘save’ You through our prayers?

Surely You have not forgotten Calvary where the dregs of Your fury were poured out?

It was so horrible when God became angry

Humanity has no words to describe it

Heaven’s reply was a darkened face while earth could only shake with great violence

When the dregs from Your cup of fury came spilling out …

And upon whom, if not upon Yourself, on that dreadful day?

Are there any more ‘ fury dregs’ left in Your cup ? We pray not.

Were they not all poured out upon Yourself at Calvary?

O God, before You bring Your people through this inhuman violence

We want to remind You of what happened at Calvary

Surely You have not forgotten, for we have not.

We beg You, don’t go through it again.

You have already poured out Your full wrath upon the Cross

Now God, do not, please do not do it again.

Has the Cross not satisfied You that You want to see blood and suffering all over again?

And in the process, go through the excruciating pain Yourself?

We want You to be spared, for this is the utmost concern in our hearts and minds.

You gave unredeemed men the right to violate You

Now give us, the redeemed, the power to ‘save’ You from it

Through our pleadings, our incessant prayers and lamentations.

Oh God, spare Yourself the pain, spare Yourself the horror,

Spare Yourself the violence of the coming inhuman humiliation.

You have given us a heart to be more mindful of Jacob’s God

Than to be mindful of Jacob in his coming Trouble.

Jacob deserves the chastening seven times unto perfect purification ( Lev.26)

But Jacob’s God has done no wrong and does not deserve any chastisement or pain

If You will not do the ‘ sparing,’ then lessen it, shorten it , make it bearable.

Father, once again we ask, is the Cross not enough?

Why allow Your people to go through all this again?

Why must You relive the horrors, the inhumanity and the pain of the Cross a second time?

Oh, may God forbid it!

When Your people face this untold terror, this ‘JACOB’S TROUBLE’

It Is You who have to experience untold hurt and suffering at the hands of Your creation again.

O God, we do forbid it.!

Oh God , You must not allow the Cross to be repeated. again.

Surely once is enough.

That one time at Golgotha was enough.

You must not go through this again. We do not want You to.

As children, we beg that our Father be spared the pain

We unceasingly pray against it.

Our Creator should not suffer such hurt again at the hands of His creation

What You did on the cross is more than enough to cover the sins of Your people

In the past, present, future and many more eternities

If the Cross can atone for the sins of the whole world, why not that of Your first-born son? (Ex4:22)

Oh God, we bid You to look at what You Yourself did on the Cross and be pleased with it.

But do not go through it again… because it is not necessary.

The price you paid on Calvary was more than sufficient.

In fact, O Lord, You have overpaid.

There is residue in what You did at Calvary, to cover many eternities.

The nature of that phenomenon at Calvary was staggering

It is far beyond our human understanding

That sinless God should die for sinful man.

The value of that sacrifice, the value of that love! O, the value of that life!

It speaks far greater than the evil of Your people,

That selfless action has far outweighed their evil, their transgressions, their rebellion, their waywardness and their rejection of You.

Lord, surely You agree that Calvary is more than sufficient to cover the sins of Your people

For many, many, many eternities.

We pray, we ask daily, that You lessen the horrors of JACOB’S TROUBLES,

Which means that You lessen the pain for Yourself.

If possible, if at all possible, do away with it.

Instead, in Your enduring and immeasurable grace and mercy,

Infuse Your people with a new heart and a new spirit

To turn to You unreservedly as the Church gathers to pray

And to minister to You unceasingly in this manner. In Jesus’ name.