-July 22, 2022-
Good morning, happy Friday,
“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.’ So God granted him what he requested.”
(1 Chronicles 4:9-10).
This prayer is nestled in the middle of the genealogies of Judah in 1 Chronicles chapter four. We don’t know much about this man Jabez, but we do know is that he knew the Lord and sought God’s blessing to be a blessing to others. His mother named him Jabez, meaning, “he makes sorrow or height.”
His mother named him after the extraordinary pain she experienced in giving birth to him. She survived, but his name was associated with pain. This also happened to Rachel when she gave birth to Benjamin right before she died. Genesis 35:18 says, “And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.” The name Ben-Oni means “son of my sorrow.” Benjamin means, “son of the right hand.” Thank God Jacob changed his name. In our text, God turned Jabez from sorrow and pain to joy and gladness.
Jabez sought the Lord and asked for four things: that God would bless him indeed, enlarge his territory, that His hand would be on him, to keep him from evil, and that he may not cause pain. Herbert Lockyer said of him, “He asked much and obtained much. The Lord did grant things for him, whereof, surely, sorrowful was glad.” He asked God for great things, and God granted what he requested. We can never ask to much from our Lord.
• That God would bless him indeed – He wanted God’s blessing on his life. He knew that this was the only way to be a blessing to others. He was more honorable than all his brothers.
• That God would enlarge his territory – His territory was physical, but he was also thinking, I’m sure, of his spiritual territory. We live on this earth, which lies in the lap of Satan, the evil one. As believers, we need to claim the territory for the Lord in prayer for souls to be saved and saints to be edified.
• That God’s hand would be with him – God’s hand speaks of His favor, power, and presence. He wanted to please God in all he said and did. He sought the nearness of God.
• That God would keep him from evil that he may not cause pain – He wanted God’s best for his life so he could live a holy life. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus said, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Only by God’s power can we overcome evil and the evil one. Like Jabez, we don’t want to cause pain but rather be an encouragement to build up others in their faith.
This simple yet beautiful and eloquent prayer gives us the challenge to ask great things of our great God. We need His blessing to be a blessing and to follow Him in obedience and faithfulness. There is power in prayer made in Jesus’ name and according to His will.
May we pray on for God’s perfect will so we can bless others around us. Stay safe and healthy.
In asking for great things,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 