The first few chapters of 1 Chronicles are full of names.
Yet we see God in his great wisdom including this small but significant prayer
of Jabez in Chapter 4. His mother had named him Jabez because she had given
birth to him in pain. Jabez means sorrow or trouble. But Jabez cried out to the
God of Israel. He prayed three specific things in his prayer. One, that the
Lord would bless him. Two, that the God would enlarge his territory. Three,
that the hand of God would be with him and keep him from harm so that he would
be free from pain. The Bible says that God granted his request.
All prayers that we pray are valuable, but prayers where
we pray with specific details could be much more effective. Things start
changing in our lives as we set aside prayers prayed for the sake of praying
and start praying specifically and persistently. Even if you are or feel you
are insignificant, uncared for by people, and called good for nothing, God is
able to change your circumstances. He is able to lift you up. He is able to
bless you, like he blessed Jabez.
The Bible says Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.
He was more honorable because God brought about a blessed change in his life by
answering his prayers. You and me, we too can pray like Jabez, with specific
details of the problem or problems at hand. If God heard the prayer of Jabez,
God will hear your prayer too. If God granted the request of Jabez, he will
grant your request too. The God of Jabez loves you. He will bless you. The
Apostle Paul says in rhetoric,
......If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did
not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along
with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31, 32)
Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who answers
our prayers.
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