 In Valerie Comer’s fantasy novel Majai's Fury reviewed here, Shanh, the Jonah-inspired character sent from his legalistically god-fearing culture to invite a sinful city to believe, calls on his god to protect him. “Azhvah, show your power!” and he does, often in miraculous ways. But then, as with the God of the Bible, there are times when he seems not to. He leaves his followers to suffer while he brings Shahn out of his strict legalism into true relationship. There are so many times when I have no idea how to pray. Thousands of Ebola deaths in West Africa; megalomaniacs controlling whole countries; ISIL massacring Christians in Syria and Iraq; and problems closer to home. I have no solutions to dictate to Almighty God with my prayers to solve these problems. I find myself falling back on Shanh’s prayer.
Yahweh, show your power! Local burial customs conflict with protecting people from a deadly virus. Westerners are asking mourners to disrespect their loved ones in the name of stopping the spread of disease. My brothers and sisters in Christ (there are millions in West Africa where our mission of SIM has had work for a hundred years) are confronting this disease in ways that Christians in Dallas can only imagine in their worst nightmares. Does God not care what is happening? Of course, he does! Yahweh, show your power! Our brothers and sisters in Christ are being slaughtered in an area of the world that has tottered on the brink for generations. If we interfere, will we tip the world into war? If we stand by, are we guilty of supporting genocide? If we help now, will we be targeted later? Will any solution “do no harm”? Yahweh, show your power! A marriage is falling apart. Both parties acknowledge Christ. Both are justified in their grievances. Both are blind to their guilt. Children are caught in the middle, needing a father and a mother, not needing to grow up in the tension of screaming fights. Yahweh, show your power! Republicans and Democrats are locked in senseless battles that paralyse our system of government because no one can hear the concerns of the other side. Voters are overwhelmed by accusatory ads. It’s easier to stay home from the polls than to figure it all out. Yahweh, show your power! Several families I know are dealing with mental illness. Their loved ones engage in risky behaviour, refuse meds, reject counsel. Does God hold clouded minds responsible? How can even the Holy Spirit get through? Yahweh, show your power! I enjoyed Valerie Comer’s book, but it is Shanh’s prayer that comes back to me over and over: Yahweh, show your power!
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