The Prayer of Jabez

By Helen Jesze, 1^st April 2022

‘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, “ … Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.’

1 Chronicles 4: 9+10 NIV

Nowadays parents often give their children a name which they like the sound of. Yet in Bible times, a child’s name usually had a special meaning. Here we read of a man whose mother gave him the name of Jabez, as it reminded her of his painful birth. Every birth brings pain, but this must have been an especially difficult one. In the Amplified Bible it says Jabez means “sorrow-maker”.

I wonder how he felt when his mother looked at or called him – the one who was looked down on? Rejected? Discouraged? The sorrow-maker and pain-bringer? Did he have feelings of guilt, because he had caused his mother so much wounding? Every time she called her son he, and everyone else who heard it, was reminded again of his disgrace. Imagine in Kindergarten (if they had them at that time!), at school or work, everybody would know and perhaps look askance, make fun of him or predict he would have a bad end.

Yet in spite of this bad beginning, verse 9 says he was more “honourable than his brothers”. We hear nothing about his siblings. The preceding verses read just like a genealogy and not one name stands out, then come these words about Jabez. What does being “honourable” mean? Probably that he was honest, had integrity, wanted to do what was right, gracious, sought God and not his own way. He could have been bitter or envious, but he was neither of these. Yet Jabez changed his situation? How did this come about?

1. He turned to God not from Him. When we are in need, downcast or under condemnation, we often run from God. But this is the time to turn to him with all of our heart!
2. Jabez gave God his full Name – the God of Israel – acknowledging that he was the Almighty One who had made a Covenant with his people Israel, and that he was the God of miracles!
3. He cried out to God in prayer “Oh!” This was not just a superficial prayer, but it came from the depths of his being. What did he pray for?

   1. He asked for God’s blessing. Sometimes we make our own plans and then ask God to bless them. Jabez acknowledged that first of all, he needed the blessing of God.
   2. For enlargement of his borders. This would give him more land, increased prosperity and influence.
   3. That God’s hand would be with him and upon him. In the Old Testament, “the hand of the Lord” was one of the descriptions given to the Holy Spirit. Even without knowing it, Jabez was asking for the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit to be with him and upon his life.
   4. Protection from evil, harm or pain.

What has this got to do with us? Our mental or emotional condition might not have anything to do with our name, as it was with Jabez; outwardly we may look as though all is fine but we might be hiding inner wounds, fighting rejection, sadness. We may be unwanted, have been abused even sexually abused, been brought up in a broken home, a foster home or an orphanage. Our parents may have divorced and the family has been split up, we may be frustrated or bitter at what Life has dealt us. If we were to answer John the Baptist’s question, “What do you say about yourself ?” what would we say?

The one who never will never amount to anything; no future, the despairing and lonely one …?

The name of Jacob in the Bible meant a “supplanter, a deceiver”, yet God changed his name to “Israel”, saying he had power with God and with men, “a Prince”. He became the father of 12 sons from whom came the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel.

Gideon, afraid and hiding from the Midianites, was told by the angel, God sees you as “a mighty man of valour”, and he became that.

Simon, whom Jesus said was like a reed blown in the wind had his name changed to “Peter” – the “rock” or “the stone out of the great rock”. He became a mighty apostle and instrument in the hand of God.

Our beginning in Life is not the most important, but our progress, our goal and where we will end. A few years ago, a friend of mine told me she had just come back from preaching in a church with about 200 people in Moscow, Russia, which was led by a young woman who until 3-4 years before that, had been a prostitute! Jesus is the great Life-Changer!!

“And God granted his request”! Such a matter of fact few words, yet for Jabez, his whole life was turned around! God changed his destiny!

It can be the same for you and me too! Many years of quality, joy, fruitfulness, usefulness can be your portion. I want to encourage you today to cry out to this mighty God, just as Jabez did and see your situation turned around!