The Prayer Of Jabez

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

(1 Chronicles 4:9-10) (9) “And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.” (10) “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep [me] from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”

(Romans 15:4) “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

(Psalms 91:14-16) (14) “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.” (15) “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.” (16) “With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”

(Psalms 19:14) “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

PREFACE SUMMARY

Beloved, the Book of Chronicles is thought to have been written around five hundred years before the birth of Christ. It is widely accepted among scholars that the book was authored by the prophet Ezra.

What we know about an honorable man named Jabez comes from two verses in the Old Testament book of First Chronicles, the fourth chapter, verses nine and ten. These verses describe a man who, although he was given a name that means bad omen at birth, refused to allow that name to define him.

Saints, the writer does not give us much to work with except that he was born labeled as a problem child that caused his mother to have sorrow at the time of his birth.

Beloved, the writer describes him as having God's favor in his life, which caused God to insert his story in his hall of fame, which we call “the Holy Bible,” and as an honorable man, more honorable than his brothers.

Beloved, over the centuries, very famous writers have written entire books on the life of this man, speaking of how he overcame his childhood by not allowing the label on his name to define who he is. But beloved, how can they write about his life except to place themselves in his place and write about his life by the way God has acted in their own lives by reflecting back on the many trials and experiences that God brought them through?

Church, an excellent way to start writing about this man would be to search and discover what our first name means in origin and what it means in the bible. Then, beloved, search our middle and last name.

Saints, you will be surprised when you discover that your past is very similar to what your name actually means. However, like Jabez, we do not have to allow our past to define our future. If the devil can keep us tripped up in our past, he knows he will not have to deal with us in the future.

When I read these two verses of scripture about a man labeled at birth as a problem child and read where God speaks of him being more honorable than his brothers, it causes me to look where the two chapters are located, for the chapter begins by naming the ancestral linage from Adam then breaks to tell the story of Jabez and finishes the chapter by listing the ancestral linage proving that the Israelites that had just come out of seventy years of captivity, were in fact, God’s chosen people.

Beloved, I hope you can spare a moment to join me in reflecting on the incredible journey of my forty-three years as a professional truck driver in the United States. As I read this chapter, which eloquently speaks of the life-altering prayer of Jabez, who seemed to appear out of nowhere in this chapter of First Chronicles chapter four, I am reminded of the vivid memories from my trucking days, particularly when I traveled through the towering city rising up out of the desert called Las Vegas, Nevada.

As we set out from Salt Lake City, Utah, and make our way towards Barstow, California, we embark on a journey down Interstate 15 South, traversing the beautiful landscapes of the State of Utah. Our route would take us through a section of a winding road flanked by deep canyon gorges, offering breathtaking views as we pass through a portion of Arizona.

Exiting Arizona, we would find ourselves in a vast, hot desert with nothing but the horizon stretching for miles. Suddenly, a modern metropolis would materialize out of the desert expanse: the famous city of Las Vegas, Nevada. This city, known for its towering skyscrapers that seem to emerge from nowhere and reach towards the sky, has acquired the nickname "Sin City" due to its countless tempting attractions and the presence of legalized gambling establishments, which attract visitors from all corners of the globe.