Among the descendents of Judah, is one Jabez. In the middle of the list of Judah's descendents is a description of this one obscure son. He is born in pain. He is a humble man who prays to the God of Israel, "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 nt bring me pain!" (4:10) God answered his prayer. It does not say how. It just says he answered this prayer.
Now, I'm thinking the fact that he prayed for these things and God answered has to be pretty important; otherwise, wide would this man's prayer be placed in the middle of this genealogy? I have heard many critiques of this prayer. Yet, I pray it often for others, whom I love. It is a simple prayer. Jabez asked God to bless him, to keep him from harm and to enlarge his borders or territories. The critique I've often heard is that the enlarging territories is about riches. Some would turn Jabez' humble prayer into a selfish prayer.
However, for the Christian our borders are on the mission field. We do not look at this prayer with a magical means to fill our pockets, but a prayer that God would bless us with missions, with outreach to the whole world. Here and why we would wish our borders to be expanded.
Who would not want their loved ones to be blessed by the LORD, to be kept from harm and know no pain and to have ever expanding borders to proclaim the praises of God? Oh, LORD, expand our territory so that we might reach out to even more, to the multitudes, with the Good News of your Kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our LORD.
Now, I'm thinking the fact that he prayed for these things and God answered has to be pretty important; otherwise, wide would this man's prayer be placed in the middle of this genealogy? I have heard many critiques of this prayer. Yet, I pray it often for others, whom I love. It is a simple prayer. Jabez asked God to bless him, to keep him from harm and to enlarge his borders or territories. The critique I've often heard is that the enlarging territories is about riches. Some would turn Jabez' humble prayer into a selfish prayer.
However, for the Christian our borders are on the mission field. We do not look at this prayer with a magical means to fill our pockets, but a prayer that God would bless us with missions, with outreach to the whole world. Here and why we would wish our borders to be expanded.
Who would not want their loved ones to be blessed by the LORD, to be kept from harm and know no pain and to have ever expanding borders to proclaim the praises of God? Oh, LORD, expand our territory so that we might reach out to even more, to the multitudes, with the Good News of your Kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our LORD.
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