I have known people who have gotten offended when the word "just" is used in a prayer. For example: "Lord Jesus, 'just' touch my Brother and heal him of this sickness." I want to address my feelings on that word. I believe it actually is quite spiritual in nature when used in prayer. Some synonyms for "just" as an adverb include: exactly, precisely, absolutely, completely, totally, entirely, perfectly, utterly, wholly, thoroughly. So, in light of those, you could pray that same prayer using each of them individually in the place of the word "just". "Lord Jesus, 'precisely' touch my Brother and heal him of this sickness." or "Lord Jesus, 'perfectly' touch my Brother and heal him of this sickness." It is basically saying, "Lord, you are perfect in all your ways and in your ability to perform all that your amazing promises provide!" Can't you 'just' feel the victory in that?! Then there is "just" as an adjective. Many times people may describe themselves thusly: "I am 'just' a wife." "I am 'just' an employee." "I am 'just' a truck driver. As Christians we are called to be all that we can be; to be "perfect as he is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). We know that the Lord is the one who can make us perfect in our relationship to him and in our position in this world as well as our calling to his purposes. We are to do "...all things heartily as unto the Lord" (Colossians 3:23). Only by his perfect work in our lives can we accomplish anything. We are to "...be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith." So, if we are wholly committed to God through Christ, the description of ourselves, i.e. our identity, will reflect the nature of God. Instead of "I am 'just' (only, not worth much, can't do much, poor me) a pilot (not sure why I use that particular example), it should be "I am 'just' (exactly, absolutely, perfectly, entirely, totally) a pilot" who has been gifted by the Creator of the Universe to fly this plane and carry this precious cargo (persons) to their destination while enjoying the beauty of his created sky, sun, moon, stars, earth below. Not many of you may be pilots but you can add your own identity and description of your lot in life. Perhaps, "I am 'just' (only, without my own fulfillment) a caregiver." Instead, "I am 'just' a caregiver (bond servant, example of Christ's selflessness, lover of people, patient, kind, etc.). Hopefully this is inspiring a fresh way to look at the word "just". It is not a negative but a positive. It is not a mediocre, ho-hum adverb or adjective, but one with clout! Therefore, the next time you hear someone use this word in a prayer, instead of focusing on the word itself, focus on the power of our Lord to hear and accomplish. The next time you are tempted to describe yourself or someone else with "just" (as not worth as much as someone else), focus on the fact that you are most valuable to the one who gave His life so that you could be the very best you could be in every circumstance to bring Glory to His Name and make you fully alive and fulfill his purposes in and through you. No matter what our DNA or Ancestry, each being unique and an integral part of who we are in our flesh and blood identity, we are to be found in Him as I said earlier. It is our Spiritual Identify that will define us for Eternity... "Beloved we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2 Once again, if you know Christ, continue to look for His appearing. I invite you to Watch and Wait alongside me.
