Jabez

Day 114

Reading: 1 Chronicles 1:1 - 1 Chronicles 5:26

God is a God of order. Chaos is not His idea. The Bible begins with God introducing Himself as the Creator and the Beginning who brings order to chaos. If God is in every beginning as the Beginner in everything of our lives then we would fight different battles. Many times we are fighting battles that we shouldn't be fighting because we strayed from the place of God. Let God order your steps and begin all that He has planned for your life.

The two books of Chronicles are a different summary of the history of Israel from what we have read so far. We shall see more in-depth information about those kings who walked after God. It completely ignores the Kingdom of Israel because of the false worship. The beginning of the book of the first book of Chronicles lists the genealogy of the tribes of Israel from Adam. We learn some insights into the tribes especially the effects of the prophecy of Jacob to his sons. To Reuben Jacob didn't bless, he removed the birthright by the words he spoke whilst to the children of Joseph they acquired a blessing that was not theirs but for the uncles. Jacob declared that Judah would be the one whom the brothers would praise and would rule over them Genesis 49:3, 8-10.  In the first book of Chronicles, we read that indeed those words came to pass as decreed by Jacob. Even his genealogy is not listed in order of birth. 

In the midst of reading this genealogy, we meet another of my favourite characters in the bible, Jabez. I find it interesting that God told us about this gentleman and packed so much about him in two verses. We are introduced to Jabez by first being told that he was more honourable than his brothers. Jabez was named by his mother. His name means born in pain. Many mothers will look at this scripture and wonder what pain obsessed the mother that she named him after pain. What pain was this that Jabez would forever bear a name that spoke of the pain the mother experienced at his birth. 

Let me encourage you that even you can be more honourable than your peers. I know we believers don't look or qualify to be honoured. Many today will say that believers today are despised because they have nothing to offer the world. God is God and if He could do it for Jabez, then I believe that He can do it for us.

Jabez encountered his change because of prayer. We are told Jabez prayed to God and God granted His request. His prayer had 5 prayer points:

• Bless me indeed. Jabez just didn't want a blessing that was normal, he wanted to be blessed to overflowing. Jabez desired a blessing that would erase the pain and he understood that only the blessing of God would do justice. Desire a blessing that everyone knows can only have come from God alone.
• Enlarge my territory. Enlargement, growth has not only to be intentional but also interceded for. The boundaries life gives us require a fight to extend the boundaries we find ourselves. We must seek God to be able to enlarge our territory in every area of life. Don't expect to waltz through life without a fight. Take charge of your progress by praying about it and engaging God the Lifter.
• That God's hand would be on him. Jabez desired to not only walk with God but for God's seal of approval to be upon him and his activities. May the Hand of God be upon my affairs should be a daily prayer we make. You ask why? Which enemy will contend against the Hand of God and win? 
• That God would keep me from evil.  Jabez already a name to remind him of pain. He didn't need evil to bring more pain. Let this be our daily desire that evil be far from us. The reality of the day we live in today makes this prayer imperative and a priority to be made daily. 
• That I may not cause pain. The prayer so far was selfish however his closing prayer is that he desires to bring pleasure and not pain. Desire to be a blessing and not a curse to society.

Memory Verse: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Decree:

Personalize this scripture

And Charles 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 4:10 (paraphrased; italics mine)