The Prayer of Jabez (Part 2)

THE PRAYER OF JABEZ (PART 2)

"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 would not cause pain!' So God granted him what he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Yesterday I shared with you that the commentator, Dr. Herbert Lockyer, records over 469 prayers in his book, "All The Prayers of the Bible." As you think through the examples of the prayers that have been recorded for us in the Bible, most of them are recorded in a narrative of a story line, or given as a part of a teaching. For example, Paul in his letters to the churches shares how he is praying for them.

Yet this prayer seems to be different. It is recorded for us in the middle of a book of the Bible that is filled with what would appear to be boring, insignificant genealogies. For some reason, the Lord puts the VCR on pause, and in the middle of this list, He singles out Jabez, and of all the things that could be said about him, he gives us insight into his faith and his prayer life. Note in reading these early chapters, Jabez is the only one that seems to get attention like this.

We don't know much about his background other than what is recorded here. For some reason he was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother had a difficult time in childbirth with him, and named him, "Pain!" Imagine what it must have been like to have your name be "Pain!"

What made him more honorable than his brothers? Was it his financial assets? His reputation in the community? Or was it that in his growing up years he was the brother who took his relationship with God seriously, and was a man of integrity - a man whose walk with God was so real and genuine that it caused others around him to take note that there was something different in his life.

You and I meet people like that. You don't have to be in their presence long to know that there is something very special about their connection with God. I can list in my mind, so many people that fit that description. People that I look at and say, "Wow - they have a special walk with God."

Maybe that is why there is a boldness in his praying. He has spent so much time with God in his personal communion with him - that he is comfortable being bold in his petition.

Is that the kind of relationship you have with the Lord? When people are around you do they sense from your life that there is something different? Are you willing to be bold enough to pray like Jabez? Take up the challenge. Pray Jabez's prayer and then see what God will do in your life.

Great Quote: At the Day of Judgment, we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done. Thomas a Kempis