The Prayer Of Jabez

Living Large For God

--- [ 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 you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  Amen.

We are examining the prayer of Jabez.  Some of you may have it memorized by now: “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)  Last week we examined the phrase, “O that you would bless me.”  Jabez knew he needed to draw near to God and share in God’s purposes for his life.

Today we examine the phrase “…and enlarge my territory.”  When Jabez cried out to God “enlarge my territory” he was looking at his present circumstance and concluding, “Surely I was born for more than this.”  He wanted to begin “living large for God.”

Last week we speculated that Jabez’ father had gambled away his inheritance.  If so, Jabez is asking for restoration of what was once his or at least he wanted the opportunity to regain what was going to be his.  He wanted his chance at life, his day in the sun, so to speak.  He did not want to live his life with a sense of drudgery and dread.  Jabez wanted more out of life than he was experiencing.  More than just marking time.  Can anyone here relate to that?  Many of us can.  It is the universal cry of humanity: “I want meaning in life!”

The Broadway play, “Sweet Charity,” depicts the life of dance-hall girls.  Night after night they dance with any man who has the money to buy their time.  Their greatest hope, however, is that someone will come in and dance them into a new life.  Night after night they sing, “There’s got to be something better than this.”  Have you ever felt what they were feeling?  Shortly before Peter Sellers’ death, his fourth wife, actress Lynne Frederick, shared this observation about her husband: “His mind is in a constant state of turmoil about what his purpose is on this planet and whether it’s all worthwhile.”

Jabez was a man named “pain.”  But Jabez was not content to just survive - he wanted to thrive.  And so he prayed not only “Bless me” but also “enlarge my territory.”

Is there anyone here today who has never asked God to improve your life?  If not, then you do not know what “Jabez,” – pain - is all about.  Jabez was asking God to help him to have what God wants all of us to have - to know joy in place of pain, abundance in place of want, hope in place of despair.  If you don’t believe God wants good for your life then what do you believe God’s will is for your life?

Jabez refused to believe that pain was God’s will for his life. He knew that God can take our pain and transform it into joy.  God can lift up the humble, comfort the brokenhearted, give beauty for ashes, strength for weakness, life for death.  Take the most hopeless situation, add God to the equation, and suddenly there is hope!  Jabez knew that he must add God to any equation for his life.

Jabez had been raised in a faith tradition that knew with God “all things are possible.”  He had been taught the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua and other great servants through whom God had done miraculous things.  As they lived large for God, so he could live large as well.  So Jabez prayed that God would bless him and would enlarge his territory.  Jabez was praying not only for bread, but for purpose, fulfillment, a sense of destiny.

But there is a flip side to this prayer.  Whenever we pray for God to enlarge our territory, we are also asking God to enlarge our responsibility.  Suppose you were to pray this prayer: enlarge my territory.  Would you have in mind a promotion, a more prosperous business, a greater prominence in the community, a more complete family life?  There is nothing wrong with any of these as long as you understand that the larger the territory, the greater the responsibility.

This is the mistake many people make with the promises of scripture: They want the blessings, but they don’t want the burden of responsibility that goes with those blessings.

I suspect this is one reason the little book, “The Prayer of Jabez,” is selling so rapidly.  People think it will give them a quick, simple fix.  They will be able to lay claim to the promises of God through this magical prayer in place of making real honest-to-goodness changes in their lives.  Friends, this is the difference between superstition and faith.  Superstition seeks to manipulate the world through God.  Faith seeks alignment with the purposes of God. 

To pray as a church, “God, enlarge our territory” means “God, enlarge our ministry.”  “Help us, God, to minister to more people who are in pain.”  But is this what we really want?  There are people in every church family who, if they were honest about it, would say that they are a little weary of this part of the prayer.  They don’t want to enlarge their territory.  They don’t want to be moved out of their comfort zone.  They don’t want to go to the trouble that increased service would mean. 

Do you hear what I am saying?  Not everybody wants to enlarge the scope of their lives.  They’re content the way things are. Change means work.  It means discomfort.  It means added responsibility.  They would just as soon stay where they are. 

Now that’s all right in business, perhaps, and maybe in our personal lives -  but in the kingdom of God, it is deadly.  Jesus did not save us or the world by staying in his comfort zone.  He did it by going to a cross.  The cross, not a rocking chair, is the central symbol of our faith.  Jabez did not want more real estate alone.  He wanted more influence - more responsibility - more opportunity to make a mark for God.  Dying churches live in comfort zones - growing churches are willing to risk great things for God.  

Remember the church at Laodicea?  It lived so long in its comfort zone that it no longer exists today.  If a church is not generating new members and new mission and ministry, it is de-generating! 

Jabez knew God was at work in the world and he wanted to be part of it.  He wanted to use his experience of pain and suffering to help and influence others.  He was not running from responsibility, but toward it.

The prayer of Jabez is not a call for less personal responsibility, but more.  It is a call for people of faith to “live large.”  God’s will is for us to be all we can be – physically, mentally, spiritually, professionally.  This is God’s will.  God wants people who are leaders, who are movers and shakers in the community so that they can do great things for the kingdom.  We do not need to apologize for being ambitious as long as we recognize that all of life ultimately belongs to God and we are but stewards.  Any glory we realize ultimately goes to God.

Many dedicated Christians are concerned that there seem to be some very selfish elements in the Prayer Of Jabez.  Even the New York Times had an editorial in which they believe “The Prayer of Jabez” endorses “The gospel of wealth and prosperity.”  Well it can be read that way, but not if you read it though the eyes of Jesus.  While this prayer is very personal, it is not selfish.  Jabez is praying for something that God wants him to have.

God’s will for Jabez - and for us - is that all our needs will be met.  Even the Lord’s Prayer contains requests for daily bread and forgiveness.  And God’s will is that we will have a greater impact on the world around us.  If that means putting us in a situation of more responsibility, then, so be it.

That spiritual giant, John Wesley, prayed daily and worked feverishly to expand the influence of the kingdom of God.  One day he told his critics, “The world is my parish!”  That was not the conventional thinking of his time.  A priest was called to a certain parish.  That parish was his responsibility.  But Wesley, like Jabez, prayed that God would enlarge his territory.  He claimed the world as his parish.  That was holy boldness and living large for the kingdom of God. 

This is a prayer you and I can gladly pray: bless me and enlarge my territory.  Take care of my needs, give me a joy that pain cannot touch and help me be more and do more to your glory.  May God continue to give us courage and vision to live large for Him and to move beyond the walls of this church facility to influence life for His kingdom by our daily lives.