The Prayer Of Jabez

Blessings Beyond Our Dreams

--- [ I Chronicles 4:9-10 ]  Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."  Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me form hurt and harm!" ---NRSV

Dear Friends, grace and peace be unto your from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  Amen

Two weeks ago we began our study of “The Prayer Of Jabez,” a best-selling book by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson.  Jabez begins life with little promise.  His name means “pain.”  Every time his name is mentioned, it is as though he is reminded, “I’m a born loser.”  And yet the Bible says in I Chronicles 4:9-10, “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."

A distinguished Bible teacher puts it this way: “We have a picture of a young man who has all the cards stacked against him.  There was a struggle in the family of Jabez.  If you examine the genealogies in the Book of Chronicles - all include heads of families, fathers, until you get to the one of Jabez.  Evidently, he had an irresponsible father whose name had been dropped from the official records at the Temple because he had lost the family’s land and inheritance in a shameful way.”  Evidently his brothers continued in that same shameful tradition.  

Jabez starts his life with no property - no way to start earning a living - no way to attain to a position of honor or status in the community.  In the midst of this emotional pain Jabez cries out for the eternal purposes of God.  He activates his rights and privileges as a son of the covenant.  With his life burdened down by a shameful past, he seeks the blessings of God for a sacred purpose-driven future.  Since his life is not good, he cries out to God who is the source of all that is good.  He needs the supernatural intervention and favor of God to break the cycle of despair and brokenness he finds himself in.  He knows if society has labeled him a “loser,” he must look elsewhere for inspiration.

THUS OUR FIRST POINT TODAY: JABEZ POINTS HIS LIFE TOWARD GOD.  This is always the first step in life.  We must admit our need of God and turn our face toward God.  This is what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Jabez realizes his need for God.  This is the spiritual oxygen that will revive his soul and spirit.  This is why so many of us can relate to Jabez.  This is why there is tremendous encouragement in this prayer.  Through Jabez we discover that we have a place to turn to - we have Someone to turn to when we feel cut off and disconnected from life - Almighty God.

So the name of Jabez stands out 3,000 years later not because he was a major prophet or orator or that he was a wise king or ruler or that he was a famous general in the arena of battle. The name of Jabez stands out 3,000 years later because he prayed a prayer to God for a better life.  He seeks the fullest blessings God can bestow upon his life.

Jabez could have settled for less.  A wise teacher once noted that the word “life” contains the letters “i-f” – if.  Life is a matter of choices.  It is the accumulation of a host of major and minor decisions.  But there are those who want to add a qualifier – “if only.”  If only I had done this – if only I had done that.  Jabez knew he could not live life looking in the rearview mirror, a life of “if only” or “might have been.”  He knew he had to look to God for a future filled with great possibilities.  And he knew he would never be ready for the future without God’s blessing.

Dear Abby once received a letter that describes the “if only” attitude:

“It was Spring, But it was Fall I wanted, the colorful leaves and the cool dry air.

It was Fall, but it was Winter I wanted, the beautiful snow and the wonderful holiday season.

It was Winter, but it was Spring I wanted, the warmth and the blossoming of nature.

I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted, the freedom and respect.

I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted.  

I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted, the youth and the free spirit.

I was retired, but it was middle-age I wanted, the presence of mind without limitation.

My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.”

 “If only” is the loser’s creed.  Jabez had no desire to play that game.  So notice in verse 10, “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel.”  The one great privilege Jabez had was that, as a Jew, he was a Son of the Covenant.  He had been named and claimed by God.  Jabez cries out to God and declares, “I have been Jabez long enough.  Please help me turn my life around.”

Something had been awakened in Jabez’ memory.  It had to do with his birthright as a Jew.  That is where he found his identity. If you don’t have an identity, someone else will gladly give you one.  There is nothing better than the identity that God gives us in baptism.  During moments of great spiritual darkness and despair, Martin Luther, would cry out, “I am baptized.  I am baptized!”  This is what Jabez did when he cried out to the God of Israel.  Jabez, like Luther, knew he had a relationship with God.  How foolish he would be not to use it!  The sacrament of baptism might well be called the sacrament of belonging.

And so Jabez turned to where every good Jew ultimately turned: he sought God’s blessing.  Even our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ knew the importance of the blessing of God the Father.  Remember how at his baptism, the dove descended and the voice from heaven declared: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!”  These words also came down on the Mount of Transfiguration.

So a born loser named Jabez is remembered over 3,000 years later not so much for what he did but for what he prayed.  He turned to God and prayed that God would bless him indeed.  In other words he prays, “Don’t just bless me - bless me real good.”  

This bothers some people.  It sounds like Jabez is being selfish.  Some people see the prayer of Jabez as being no better than Janis Joplin’s tune of the 1960s, “O Lord, please send me a Mercedes-Benz; My friends all drive Porches, I must make amends; Worked hard all my life with no help from my friends, O Lord, please send me a Mercedes-Benz.”  And maybe it is selfish.  We have to read this prayer within the context of the Old Testament.  The Jew had no promise of heaven.  All he had was this world.  So the reward for righteousness was a long and prosperous life.  When he asked God to bless him, Jabez was asking for no more than what was due him under the covenant.  To get the blessing from this verse for our lives, though, you and I must view it through the eyes of Jesus. 

What is a blessing?  A blessing is not a rite or a meaningless formality.  Biblical scholar William Barclay traces the meaning of the expression “Bless me” and concludes that it means, "Give me the joy that cannot be touched by harm or pain."  That’s good, especially in light of Jabez’ name.  "Give me the joy that cannot be touched by harm or pain."  There’s nothing selfish about asking for joy that cannot be touched by pain.  In fact, Jesus promised his followers that they would find joy.

Bruce Wilkinson reminds us that when we ask for God’s blessing, we are not asking for more of what we could get ourselves.  We are crying out for the wonderful unlimited goodness that only God has the power to know about and give to us.  The most remarkable thing about Jabez’ prayer is that it is open-ended.  He doesn’t specify his blessings.  He doesn’t pray for a Mercedes or a new house or to win the lottery.  All he asks is God’s blessing.  

THE SECOND POINT: JABEZ TRUSTS GOD TO PROVIDE HIM WITH WHAT HE NEEDS TO BE JOYFUL.  Now here is why most people will not profit from Jabez’ prayer.  They think they know better than God.  When we tell God how we want to be blessed we limit the blessings God will give us.

The story is told of a man who dreamed he visited heaven.  An angel showed him all the beauties of that heavenly abode.  They came upon a room where there were beautiful packages elaborately wrapped.  The man asked his guide what they were.  The angel said they were blessings God had prepared for his children, blessings which they never asked for, or blessings they refused to receive.

Could you offer this prayer daily without loading it with your own agenda?  Could your simple prayer be “Lord, bless me,” without telling God how He should bless you?  I guarantee that if you do you will begin to appreciate everything that happens to you from that day forward in the faith.  You will begin to see God’s blessings from His point of view. 

I must be careful at this point.  I don’t want to be insensitive.  Jesus said God sends his rain on the just and the unjust.  Life happens.  Terrible things can come our way but, by the grace of God, even such events in our lives can be turned to blessings by God.  He can bring joy out of pain, hope out despair, life out of death. 

Trust God.  That’s the real meaning of this prayer.  Like Jabez, point your life toward God and pray that He will bless you really well and then look for joy in every event.  I am confident you will find it.