FROM DISHONOUR TO DIGNITY

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed” – 1 Chronicles 4:10a

The story of Jabez portrays the possibility of being transformed FROM DISHONOUR to DIGNITY: “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez 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” (1Chr.4: 9-10). This little vignette, tucked away among the genealogies of the sons of Judah, shows how a cursed, ignoble existence can be transformed into a blessed, beautified, and dignified destiny through a passionate Appeal for Divine Intervention!

This highly inspiring prayer of Jabez challenges and teaches us to depend on God and call upon Him. How amazing that an Old Testament prayer could be applied even in our days to seeking God’s provision and leading in our lives. Jabez was not using prayer as a formula to get something from God, but was calling upon God to help him accomplish His own promises. That “Jabez called on the God of Israel” infers that he knew the God of Israel and His Lordship and Headship over his life.  When we pray, we must begin by acknowledging who God is!

Oh, that you would bless me indeed” Jabez not only recognized God as the one and only true God, he also acknowledged that blessings come from God alone. Let’s stop chasing broken promises and blessings that the world tries to entice us with. Let’s cease striving for prosperity on our own strength. Let’s pray with hearts that are fully invested in the blessings of God.

“And enlarge my territory.” Jabez’ prayer for enlargement was not referring only to physical land, wealth, and prosperity, but also in terms of impacting the Kingdom of God. He wanted his spiritual territory to increase, to claim generations for the Lord God of Israel. Believers in Christ are potentially empowered to claim or reclaim every territory that Satan, the usurper, has trespassed upon. As we pray, God will make our way purposeful and prosperous, and our footsteps firm. He will enlarge our borders and our influence in the family, community, and the Kingdom. He’ll use our lives to bring honour, and multiply our territories in all areas of life, in ever-increasing dimensions, from Jerusalem to the uttermost parts of the globe, for His Glory.

“Your hand would be with me.” Jabez wanted God to reside and rule in every moment and sphere of his life. He knew what it means for the power of God’s hand to protect and to lead in the right direction; and that God is bigger than anything we face in this life. Without His hand providing and guiding, blessings can fall into dust. It is not enough to request blessings and provisions; God’s hand must guide and guard through life’s circumstances and trials that come our way. As we trust Him, God will establish the work of our hands and bring to fulfilment all He has committed into our hands.

“Keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain” The name Jabez literally means “born with pain” or “he will cause pain.” His mother named him Jabez because of the pain she endured in labour! But Jabez, knowing that God is bigger than all the evil we may encounter, prayed in opposition to the damaging testimony of his name and secured deliverance from a negative identity. We don’t have to live with any evil situation. When we pray believing, and ask God for a change, He will turn for us, shame into glory, open the right doors, close the wrong doors, and protect us from those who would injure our destinies.

The God who answered Jabez’ prayers is our God, even under a better covenant. When we submit our will to Him and pray, we will see God move in mighty ways. We will return with testimonies, transformed from shame and dishonour to Glory and Dignity!