The prayer of Jabez
Prayer is something that we’ve at times underestimated and/or neglected. It seems easy to dismiss as just tradition or an activity to provide emotional comfort. But at the end of the day prayer is a priority for us. It is how we talk to God. Following this year’s theme of Kingdom priorities, this week we learn about the priority of prayer from a man named Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.
“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.”
Fun fact: In Hebrew culture, names are very important. Jabez’s name resembles the Hebrew word for pain because his mother gave birth to him in pain. This indicates that the last part of his prayer is something like a pun, referring back to his name.
From this short prayer, we learn three ways we should change how we pray:
It’s ok to ask God for blessings
It’s easy to hold back from asking God for blessings. Maybe we think it’s too selfish to ask or we’re not in the right place to ask such things. However, God wishes to bless us and care for us. As a good God, He will respond graciously and generously to us which is illustrated in the well known passage, Matthew 7:7-11.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened...how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
But we must give careful consideration to first and foremost seek Him and His kingdom when asking for such blessings:
“ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
The blessings shouldn’t stop with you.
When asking for blessings, we should be asking them without self-interest in mind. Instead we must have kingdom purposes in mind. Everything we ask for should be to point to the glory of God; for kingdom purposes and to bless others (1 Corinthians 10:31). This concept of blessings overflowing from one person harkens back to the covenant that was made between God and Abram:
“ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Maintaining an attitude of selflessness can be difficult if we’re caught up in our own anxieties. Why would we think of blessing others when all we can do is worry about ourselves? We must practice selflessness so that we can pure heartedly make requests to God with the intention of blessing others.
Prayer should come with a surrendered heart
Lastly, praying wholeheartedly requires a surrendered heart. We should come to God knowing full well that we need Him. This in itself requires help from God, so that He could change our stubborn hearts, moving them to surrender and preparation.
Ultimately, prayer plays a really important role in aligning to God’s will and His kingdom. Because of this, we should see prayer as a priority in daily lives. It is part of our purpose in this life; to pray and seek God; and to be blessed and share that blessing with others.
Dear Lord,
We thank You for Your Son Jesus who You’ve given to us as a sacrifice; that we may be able to communicate with You. We thank You that You are generous and gracious, and that You would care for us in our needs and use us to bless others. Shape our hearts Lord, so that we may see that we need You in everything we do.
Amen.