Gary Stebbins, Church on the Rock, Melbourne, FL - March 4, 2010As I was re-reading the story of Jabez recently, I was impressed with the prayer that this man offered up to God. Our only insight into the life of Jabez is found in two verses in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 …
"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, "Because I bore him with pain." 10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested. " (NASU)
The fact that Jabez was born in pain may refer to actual physical pain in child-birth, but it might also reference a general time of difficulty and adversity in the life of Jabez and his family, or perhaps even the nation of Israel at that time. In light of the adversities that Jabez was experiencing, as he grew older, he “called on the God of Israel.” In other words, he prayed. He cried out to God and asked God to change his circumstances. This was a bold prayer.
I do not see this as a prayer that Jabez prayed one time, but the cry of his heart as he was growing up and coming into his own. I can see Jabez going before God time and time again making his requests. Jabez asked God … to bless him, to enlarge his borders, that God’s hand might be with him, and that God would keep him from harm.
Now God is God, and He is not required to answer every prayer request we make of Him, and this was certainly a bold request that Jabez prayed. However, in the same way, God cannot answer a prayer that we do not pray. Jabez had the faith and the courage to pray bold prayers before his God. As a result God granted him his request. If he had never prayed, he may never have received what God was ready and willing to grant him.
Certainly, if Jabez could persistently present his prayers to God, so can we. The writer of Hebrews, in talking about Jesus Christ in His role as our High Priest, makes the following statement … "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need ." (Heb 4:16, NASU).
As those who know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can, “draw near with confidence”, to God. The word confidence, or boldness in some translations, means to be unreserved in speaking or to have no fear in speaking. In other words, we can go before God and speak freely to Him about our needs, our fears, our desires, and even our sin. In fact, He encourages us to come to Him … “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Mt 11:28).
As did Jabez, may we learn to call on our God in prayer. This is the time; now is the hour. Regularly and frequently cry out to God in prayer. Do it! Now!
Were you tagged by today’s post? Did it stir you to go deeper in the place of prayer? Share your thoughts, I want to hear from you.
"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, "Because I bore him with pain." 10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested. " (NASU)
The fact that Jabez was born in pain may refer to actual physical pain in child-birth, but it might also reference a general time of difficulty and adversity in the life of Jabez and his family, or perhaps even the nation of Israel at that time. In light of the adversities that Jabez was experiencing, as he grew older, he “called on the God of Israel.” In other words, he prayed. He cried out to God and asked God to change his circumstances. This was a bold prayer.
I do not see this as a prayer that Jabez prayed one time, but the cry of his heart as he was growing up and coming into his own. I can see Jabez going before God time and time again making his requests. Jabez asked God … to bless him, to enlarge his borders, that God’s hand might be with him, and that God would keep him from harm.
Now God is God, and He is not required to answer every prayer request we make of Him, and this was certainly a bold request that Jabez prayed. However, in the same way, God cannot answer a prayer that we do not pray. Jabez had the faith and the courage to pray bold prayers before his God. As a result God granted him his request. If he had never prayed, he may never have received what God was ready and willing to grant him.
Certainly, if Jabez could persistently present his prayers to God, so can we. The writer of Hebrews, in talking about Jesus Christ in His role as our High Priest, makes the following statement … "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need ." (Heb 4:16, NASU).
As those who know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can, “draw near with confidence”, to God. The word confidence, or boldness in some translations, means to be unreserved in speaking or to have no fear in speaking. In other words, we can go before God and speak freely to Him about our needs, our fears, our desires, and even our sin. In fact, He encourages us to come to Him … “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Mt 11:28).
As did Jabez, may we learn to call on our God in prayer. This is the time; now is the hour. Regularly and frequently cry out to God in prayer. Do it! Now!
Were you tagged by today’s post? Did it stir you to go deeper in the place of prayer? Share your thoughts, I want to hear from you.
thank you for sharing on Jabez. This indeed is very encouraging! Often as a Christian, I feel that this type of prayer may be self-serving. Indeed if someone else prayed it, I may be inclined to judge it. But God looks at the heart and he must have seen a motive that was larger than Jabez...Amen very inspiring and stirring to my heart. blessings!
ReplyDeleteIn the NKJV phrases the last part of verse 10 as "You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” It is impressive/comforting to me that Jabez not only prayed to be kept from pain, but that God would help him to not cause pain. What a glimpse of his heart, that he would call on God Almighty to help him avoid causing pain...avoid doing damage or bringing pain to the lives of others. How often I have called on Him to help me in areas of my life where I've needed to grow or that I found difficult to align to the Word...for example Mt 5:44 "...love your enemies and bless those that curse you..." (LOL)...that one took some time...and prayer! It is amazing to know that I can not only call on God to keep harm from causing me pain, but also to keep me from causing pain.
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