Merritt, Ashcroft Song: Burdens are Lifted #476 Title: Prayer of Jabez
Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10, Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name 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 from harm so that it might not hurt me!" And God granted what he asked.
In Ohio University for Calculus final, a professor wasn't well liked. He walked around making sure nobody cheated. He had students stack completed tests on the huge podium in front of the room. This made quite a mess; there were 1000 students! One guy taking the test, his problem with Calculus was he did poorly when rushed, and the teacher barking out how much time was left, did not help. He wanted to get a good grade, so he hardly flinched when professor said, "Pencils down; submit your sheets to front of the room." Five minutes turned into ten; almost an hour after test was 'officially over', the student finally put down his pencil, gathered up his work, and headed to submit his final. The whole time, professor sat strangely waiting for the student to finish.
"What do you think you're doing?" professor asked. It was clear he waited only to give the student a hard time.
"Turning in my exam," said the student.
"I have bad news for you," professor gloated, "Your exam is an hour late. You fail and I'll see you next term when you repeat my course."
The student smiled and asked the professor "Do you know who I am?"
"What?" replied the annoyed professor gruffly.
The student rephrased the question, "Do you know what my name is?"
"No," snarled the professor.
The student looked the professor right in the eye and said slowly, "I didn't think so." He lifted up one of the stacks half way, shoved his test neatly into the center of the messy stack, and the pile buried his test among the others. The student turned and walked casually out of the huge lecture hall.
That professor didn’t know one name out of 1000 students. The Old Testament contains a name sticking out of a long list, a story squeezed between fragments of Judah’s descendants. 1Chronicles 4: 9-10, we find a short prayer uttered by an obscure man with a very strange name. We’re told Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. Bible dictionary says Honorable for having courage and fervent piety or being devout. The reason Jabez was more honorable was because he called on God. Little is known about this man who voiced his heart. And why does his prayer appear inside listing of the tribe? I think his prayer was important enough for the Bible to record.
Apparently his mother felt great pain during birth of her son. Following delivery his mother named Jabez which is the Hebrew word for "Pain." Imagine calling your son Pain! Certainly his name brought insults and ridicule. Kids must have teased him! Come here, Pain. Mothers, how many of you would name your son Pain? What’s in a name? When is a pencil not a pencil? When it's on a Pentagon shopping list; then it's a ''portable hand-held communications inscriber.'' Jabez’ mother unkindly gave her son lifelong reminder of her pain instead of honoring his life with a name that would bring respect. Mom didn’t celebrate his birth! All she could think about was her vale of tears, her sorrow.
She put pain and trouble in his name maybe intending to make him serious, if there was any good intention! Many people grow up feeling unwanted and told they are a pain in the neck by parents who think only of themselves. This literally happened to Jabez. True story: Dennis Payne, at only age 30, was arrested as a pickpocket at a Jersey City train station. This was his arrest number 135! Police said it took a computer more than half an hour to print out Payne's arrest record.
Jabez as an adult, and apparently as he was about to enter an important mission, cries out to God. Jabez’ prayer "that it might not hurt me" shows he was exposed to life of heartache, and facing time of hardship when he prayed this prayer. In pain of his birth, legacy of his name, trouble and difficulty that marred his life, he felt great need. His very name a constant reminder of his fragile, insecure existence. Yet Jabez knew where to go for victory over heartache.
SONG: GOD ON THE MOUNTAIN
Have you had times when all you could do was cry, pour out your fears, and let God know how desperate you feel? Have you faced pain or heartache? If so, then you understand Jabez. We should never be ashamed to share our deepest thoughts and feelings with God. When a friend or loved one shares their innermost feelings with you, do you care, do you feel for them? Of course you do! God wants to share our heartaches; He understands cries of our heart. Since He knows all, why do we need to share our feelings? I know my husband quite well. I can see it on his face when he’s tired, sad or something bothers him. But when he expresses it to me, I feel he is inviting me into his innermost life. When our children turn to us with their feelings, they trust us with their hearts! We cannot have true intimacy without sharing our deepest thoughts and feelings.
The prayer of Jabez shows we don’t have to be defeated by conditions of our birth, childhood even if it was too strict, our legacy from negative parents or from school, any break-ups or divorce in our past. When we face difficult times, loss or grief, hard decisions, we can go to the Lord and know God is there for us. Jabez acknowledged God and asked for direction. We look to our own abilities, skills, or wisdom, when we need to look to God. The first request of Jabez is for God’s blessing. He placed confidence not on his own or his people's abilities. In circumstances of life, we don’t need our own blessing or someone else's blessing, even our parent’s blessing; we need God’s blessing.
Four expectant fathers were in a Minneapolis hospital waiting room, while their wives were in labor. The nurse tells the first man, "Congratulations! You're the father of twins!"
"What a coincidence! I work for Minnesota Twins baseball team!"
The nurse returns and tells the next man, "You’re the father of triplets!"
"Wow, what a coincidence! I work for 3M Corporation!"
The nurse tells the next man his wife has given birth to quadruplets.
"Amazing coincidence! I work for Four Seasons Hotel!"
At this point, the last expectant father faints. When he comes to, the others ask what's wrong. "What's wrong? I work for Seven-Up!"
God is the only one who knows exactly what blessings we need. It may not be what we want, but we get what we need. We may feel unworthy to ask for God’s blessing, especially if we had parents like Jabez’s mother. Some of us think it’s selfish to ask for blessing. But Jesus said, “I tell you, Ask and it will be given you; Seek and you will find; Knock and it will be opened to you." God's blessings are real things and produce real effects. We can wish for a blessing, but God alone can grant or command a blessing. James 4:2, “You have not, because you ask not.” Can God bless us if we don't ask for it? Yes, God has power and ability to bless anyone He chooses. Matthew 5: 45, Our Father in heaven causes His sun to rise on the good and evil, sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. Yet Jesus told us to ask, seek, and knock.
Jabez asked God to bless him and enlarge his territories or borders. His prayer would also include desire for health to enjoy his land. Jabez prayed God’s blessing would counteract the name given to him. He prays for things necessary for the body as well as for his soul. And enlarge my coast and territory; grant me territory to support my family. Let supplies be adequate to needs of life. In an agricultural society it was necessary to have large enough area to maintain livestock. He isn’t praying for the world’s riches; he’s praying God will provide for his growing family. Let me have necessities, and as far as they may be safely trusted to me, comforts of life! Jabez prays, “Let Your hand be with me.”
SONG: I FOUND THE ANSWER
Jabez may be a strong man with many talents, but he knew he needed God. No matter how capable we are in handling difficulties, we always do a better job when God’s hand is with us. Let’s be willing to allow God’s hand to have His way in our life. Jabez’s prayer was not just a prayer to get something from God. His prayer was evidence of his relationship with God. He’s aware that without continual support from God, he would fail. Since my stroke I realize how totally dependent I am on God’s hand. When we’re overwhelmed with weakness or problems, God is with us in spite of outward appearances. Even when our burdens are heavy, in trouble, confusion, grief, God’s hand is with us, to lead, protect, and do His good work in us.
A 12 year old boy David was born without an immune system. He had bone marrow transplant to correct the deficiency. Up to that point he had spent his life in a plastic bubble to prevent exposure to common germs, bacteria, and viruses that could kill him. He lived without contact. When asked what he'd like to do when released from his protective bubble, he replied, "I want to walk on grass, and touch my mother's hand." May God touch your life today.
Then Jabez prayed, “Lord, keep me from pain.” In his words, "that it may not grieve me," and literally translated, "that I may have no more sorrow,” here is allusion to his name, “Let me not experience the grief which my name implies.” Jabez was afraid the name his mother gave him was fulfilled in life. He didn’t want pain to be his self fulfilling prophecy or his life script. He asked to escape negative reputation which he had from birth.
What tumult is causing us to fret and worry? What is our heartache? For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future, Jeremiah 29:11. Jabez deserved kinder treatment than he got from his mother. His name preyed on his imagination suggesting he was a man handicapped in life, sure to be unfortunate. Yet he had courage to refuse to be despondent by turning to God. Let us face our fears, knowing God’s perfect love upholds us.
Jabez knew to come to the only One who could keep him through life. Psalm 46: 1-5, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though mountains shake, fall into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though mountains quake with their surging. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God will help her, and that right early.” Then the Bible says God granted the request of Jabez. How willing is God to grant your request? He was so willing He came down to our earth to save us.
SONG: MORE THAN I DESERVE
Does it seem like earth today is shaking, waters roaring, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hailstorms, hurricanes? Isaiah 46: 3-4, God says “Listen to me, all you who remain. I have cared for you since you were born. I have carried you since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He Who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 63:9, In all their suffering He also suffered, and He personally rescued them. In His love and mercy He redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years. The poem Footprints in the Sand is based on these bible verses.
The name of Jabez is recorded once more in scripture. 1Chronicles 2:55, "The families of scribes who lived and dwelt at Jabez." This is everything we know about Jabez from the Bible. Commentaries say he’s eulogized for his sincere and fervent piety. Jewish writers think he was eminent doctor in the law, whose reputation drew so many scribes around him that a town was called by his name. So Jabez became the name of a city. Now who would name a city Pain?!
Would you like to move to the city called Pain? Likely Jabez became so well thought of, they decided to name their city after him. Whenever they thought of him, they no longer thought of pain, but of a man who was greatly blessed by God, greatly enlarged by God, who had the hand of God upon him, and who brought no harm. Associated Press reported that the town of Sodom, Connecticut disappeared like its biblical namesake. Though it appears on maps, the writer interviewed residents of Sodom Road and Sodom Corner, both hallmarks of the village of Sodom, and discovered everyone claims now to live in North Canaan, because they don’t like the old name!
In Jabez we find a man with whom many can identify. He is a man with a pitiful past, little hope for a future, who struggles to find meaning and significance in life, who desires to be accepted by others. But most of all, he is a man who craves relationship with God. Lesson from Jabez is that God lifts us above the nature of our hardships. Our past does not define our existence when we accept Jesus. May God enlarge your life as He did for Jabez.
SONG: JERUSALEM