The Prayer of Jabez

The Prayer of Jabez

Ezra wrote the Book of 1 Chronicles, beginning with a series of genealogies that record the family history of King David with the parallel record of the descendants of the priesthood of the Levites. Sandwiched between the first nine chapters listing generation after generation, after generations of people there is a pause! A very, significant pause, to remind us that in what we perceive to be the everyday, ordinariness of life, God sees the remnant of those who live honourable lives before Him. God sees! God hears! God acts! Sandwiched between the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles we meet a man named Jabez.

“Now Jabez was more honourable than his brothers, and his mother called him 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 cause no pain.” So, God granted him what he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4 v 9 – 10

What was Jabez asking God in his simple, single sentence prayer?

Jabez was asking God to see him, to recognise him and to acknowledge and bless his faithfulness, his obedience, and his service, as he stood out heads and shoulders above his siblings.
Jabez was asking God for a supernatural, miraculous change in his life.
Jabez was asking God not to converse with the ‘middle-man’ or mediator, in his case this would have been the Levitical high priest who represented the people before God.
Jabez was asking God to directly intercede and intervene on his behalf.
Jabez was asking God to break him out of emotional, psychological, painful, and physical places of restrictions in his life.
Jabez was asking God to acknowledge his good, productive, responsible, and accountable stewardship of the territory he already had.
Jabez was asking God to speak an invisible creative word that would dramatically change his current situation and his future destiny.
Jabez ask asking God to change the negative meaning of his name by turning the disaster of his natural beginning into a fruitful and rewarding end so that it would change the attitude and behaviour of others towards him.
Jabez was asking God to bless him so significantly that its impact on those around him would bring honour to God’s name, in recognition of the ‘Indeed’.
Jabez was asking God to ensure he got no opportunity to boast, and claim human credit for the miraculous, successful, and perfect changes in his circumstances.
Jabez was asking God to bless him with the new skills, new resources and help he would need to succeed in his expanded territories, places, and sphere of influence.
Jabez was asking God to be his help, his guide, his teacher, his protector, his righteous judge, his God, his Lord, and his friend.
Jabez was asking God for His Word to be written and hidden in his heart so that he could meditate on it day and night, in order not to intentionally, or unintentionally, sin against others.
Jabez was asking God to teach him through His Word so he would have a good heart, a pure heart, a right heart and right standing before God.
Jabez was asking God to help him be an encourager, a supporter, a provider, and an example to others. He wanted his impact to be positive and not the cause of pain, strife, and division.
Jabez was asking God for the favour and honour of reflecting within his life, the compassionate character and mind of God.

“SO, GOD GRANTED HIM WHAT HE REQUESTED.” 1 Chronicles 4 v 10

Why did our Father God answer the prayer of Jabez?

God answered Jabez because He knew that the blessing that he was asking for, in prayer, had the immediate potential to positively impact and change the outlook of those around him to embrace and believe, to reach out and to have a far greater expectation of God’s favour to bless their own lives, in order to bring glory to His Name.

Regardless of our beginnings, we can also pray a prayer like Jabez. We can faithfully trust our Father God, knowing that the testimonies of our answered prayers glorify His Name and will motivate others to believe that He will see, He will hear, and He will act on their behalf too.

Amen xxx