As a progressive, I believe there are many names for God and many ways to God – this article reflects one of those ways. Take from here what works for you. Celebrate life with joy and peace! Namaste.
I have a long time friend, and when feigning shock and awe, for dramatic purposes, would many times clutch his imaginary pearls! Because he did that so often, one birthday, a friend surprised him with a gift of real pearls! Uh!
This article, I want to share a gift with you. A pearl. A pearl of a prayer. Now, a pearl is made in an unlikely place and created from an unlikely beginning. From an irritating, uncomfortable grain of sand comes a valuable and lovely pearl.
I want to share with you this pearl of a prayer found in an unlikely place and comes from an unlikely beginning. It’s called The Prayer of Jabez. In the last several years it has become very popular through a little book called, The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson.
The Prayer of Jabez is found in 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10. Now Chronicles is one of the least read books in the entire Bible. Try to read it and you’ll understand why.
It chronicles the official family tree of the tribes of ancient Israel, nine chapters of “begats” and “who-wases.” It’s about as exciting as watching paint dry.
In reading through the Bible – I have to admit that when I get to one of the genealogy sections of the Bible, I’ve skimmed over it and I’m sure I’ve missed the Jabez prayer more than once. It’s right in the middle of the nine chapters of names, many I can’t even pronounce. For example, in 1 Chronicles 4 there are 44 names listed before Jabez shows up. Look at verse six:
Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari.
These were the descendents of Naarah.
Multiply that by nine chapters with 43 verses! Now, that will thrill your soul won’t it? But don’t give up. Just three verses later enter Jabez. Who is this guy? We don’t know. Why is he mentioned here? We don’t know!
Who was the chronicler and how did he know about Jabez? We don’t know!
All we know is that Jabez is described as more honorable than his brothers. That’s good. But there are many honorable people.
No, it’s not that Jabez was the best that gives him a place in the Bible. Maybe it was his prayer life? Maybe it was his faith in God? Maybe it was his boldness? It definitely was his relationship with God. Listen to his prayer:
Oh, that you would bless me
and enlarge my borders!
And that your hand might be with me
and that you would keep me from hurt and harm.
We’re told in a few introductory words that Jabez got his birth name for birth reasons. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain” (vs. 9). In Hebrew, Jabez sounds like the word for pain. Was the pregnancy or the delivery difficult? Were there other reasons why his mother bore him in pain? We don’t know the answer to these questions, only that the arrival of Jabez was filled with pain and, voila, Jabez became his name.
I feel sorry for Jabez. How would you like to go into the first grade with the name Pain? Can’t you hear it now? Some classmates out on the school ground hollering, “Hey, Pain! Are you a pain in the whatever?”
Or, you are in the first grade and learning to print. Your name goes at the top of the page, right? What kind of a self-image would you have when every page you ever wrote you printed Pain at the top of the page?
Well, Jabez continued through life and evidently he wasn’t afraid of asking. There’s power in asking. Notice the power of asking. Of the three petitions in Jabez’ prayer he is asking for something.
Not selfish asking; not panic asking; not memorized asking; not duty-bound asking but, obedient asking with high expectation.
Jesus taught us, “Ask and it will be given you” (Matt. 7:7). James wrote, “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). It’s an interesting principle.
Now, asking is not the only kind of prayer. There is a silent, centering prayer where we are still and listen to what God has to say to us. There are prayers of praise. Prayers of thanksgiving. All are important and valid.
So Jabez asks, expecting God to answer. I love the last part of verse 10, “And God granted his request.”
Jabez’ first request is for God to bless him. “Oh, that you would bless me . . .”
We are blessed to be a blessing to others – not to just get and get and never give in return. Then we’d be like the Dead Sea – not even able to support life even though it looks beautiful.
Prayer is like an echo. Whatever we send out comes back. It’s important to note that Jabez didn’t tell God what the blessing must be, how it will come, or when, or through whom. The blessing is God’s gift. Jabez’ part is to ask. Part of the faith adventure is being surprised by the blessing – and then always being grateful.
When you want to bless someone, what do you do? You affirm, you encourage, you share the place of love, light, truth and peace in your life with those places of love, light, truth and peace in their lives. You share a piece of authentic love from your life with a piece of authentic love from their lives. That is what blessing is about.
Let’s say you’re a parent or an aunt or an uncle and your little daughter or niece has been learning to color in a coloring book. She’s been hard at work at it. Her fingers don’t hold the crayon too steadily. It’s more like coloring with a fist. Finally, she’s ready to show it to you. With a big smile on her face she exhibits her work.
Now, nothing is right. The sun is purple. The grass is red. The little boy in the picture has a blue face and two different colors of shoes. Besides, your daughter has colored outside the lines.
What are you going to do? You’re going to admire her work and brag on it. You might say, “Tell me about it.” And she will. You might even take it to work and show it off.
I don’t think you’d say, “You are a terrible artist.” Grass is green not red. The sun is orange not purple. Besides you’re supposed to draw within the lines.” No, you wouldn’t do that.
You know the time will come when she won’t be able to get away with making the sun a gorgeous purple, and being able to color outside the lines.
So what do you do? You hug her. You affirm her. You encourage her. What’s the word? You will bless her.
Don’t be embarrassed to ask God for blessings in your life, for blessings for your family, for your business, for your church, for your friends.
There’s a blessing found in Joel Osteen’s book – it’s a declaration – or an affirmation I’ve given before and I’d like to affirm you again – will you receive it?
I declare that you are blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and you have a clear direction in your life
I declare that you are blessed with creativity, with courage, with ability and with abundance
I declare that you are blessed with a strong will and with self-control and self-discipline
I declare that you are blessed with a great family, with good friends, with good health and with faith, favor and fulfillment
I declare that you are blessed with success, with supernatural strength, with promotion and with divine protection
I declare that you are blessed with an obedient heart and with a positive outlook on life
I declare that any negative painful word that has ever been spoken against you is broken right now
I declare that everything you put your hands to do is going to prosper and succeed
I declare that you are blessed
Thank you, God! Amen!
