Benjamin Jenks

I came across an old prayer by Benjamin Jenks (1676-1724) and decided to find out more about him. My history books made only a passing mention of him. I could find plenty of material on a certified personal trainer and a travel blogger with the same name, but the only thing I can tell you about this Benjamin Jenks is that he was pastor of a small church in England and a personal chaplain to the Earl of Bradford. Some people may be lost to history but not to God. I did come across one other interesting tidbit about Mr. Jenks. He wrote a massive book of prayers in 1697 with the obscure title, Prayers, and Offices of Devotions for Families and for Particular Persons Upon Most Occasions. Hats off to Benjamin. He took the time to write prayers for people in every life circumstance imaginable. During my time in the parish, it never dawned on me to write prayers for other people’s benefit. Benjamin titled one prayer, “Prayer for Hope.” In our everyday banter, we often equate hope with wishful thinking, as in “I hope it doesn’t rain.” Yet the kind of hope for which Benjamin prayed is not a cross your fingers, wish upon a star sort of hope. Hope in Scripture is centered on the character and promises of God. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “Put your hope in the living God” (1 Tim. 4.10). The writer of Hebrews likens our hope in God to an anchor for our souls (Heb. 6.19). The Reformer John Calvin urged people in praying for hope, “We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.” We join Benjamin in praying for hope: