If you read through this portion, it’s interesting to note that the historian exclusively paused to add a few additional words about Jabez before continuing with the rest of the family tree. Very little is known about Jabez except that he was the head of a Judean clan and that he lived in southern Israel. The word “Jabez” in Hebrew means “pain” - not a very promising name to live with. One can only muse and infer that his mother probably went through adverse circumstances (perhaps excruciating physical or emotional pain) during his birth, to have named him such. Yet Jabez hardly succumbed to being “in pain” or being “a pain”. Verse 9 states that he was an exceptionally honorable man; in other words a man of his words.

Ask and it shall be given to you
{Oh, that You would bless me….}

Do you feel the vulnerability in his open cry? Jabez recognizes the importance of God’s blessings in his life and is not bashful to ask Him for the same. We often ask God to bless us in various aspects of our lives. Often times, we also tend to take His blessings for granted. I first realized this while volunteering at the Spastic society in Bangalore, India. I taught a small class of physically and mentally disabled children; an experience that left me with an immense sense of gratitude for all the blessings God has showered upon unworthy me. Our Father in heaven has blessings in abundance and a heart of endless grace to give away those blessings to each one of us. He’s eagerly waiting for us to ask Him for more. Let us not limit His bounty by our inadequacies, by other’s opinions of us or by our circumstances. There’s no vanity in asking as long as we acknowledge it and use it to bless others around us.

Giants for God
{Oh, that You would enlarge my territory…}

What did Jabez mean by this? I choose to interpret that he was pleading with God to enlarge His opportunities to serve God better. What a bold man he must have been to pray this challenge into his life! Jabez fully realized and recognized the responsibility he was carrying in his very words. He also believed that God would provide him with the strength and wisdom he needed in every opportunity He provided him with. Do we ask God to enlarge our boundaries or are we content in the comfort of where we are and what we do?

For me, this prayer was more “God, enlarge my territory in Christ” or enlarge my understanding of Christ and His will in my life. The moment I began to pray this prayer, I felt more confident, more capable. All of a sudden, my circumstances didn’t matter so much; only how I could use them for His glory. I found myself recognizing more and more situations as opportunities from God. I realized that if I allow God to act through me in those situations, I would not only make a difference in the lives of people around me, but also break through my boundaries into God’s infinite love.

South Africa is a multi-racial country and the area I lived in, was dominated by blacks. Growing up in a rather conservative Indian Community, I had been given strict instructions never to befriend people from other races. I was lead to believe that blacks were criminals and whites had no morals; in other words, Indians were the best. So it was no surprise that when a black colleague asked me to coffee, I declined the offer outright. Perhaps it was chance (though I believe that it was God) that shortly afterwards I was assigned to a project that required me to work with the very same person. Today he’s one of my best friends. It was God’s power that convicted me that where Christ lives, prejudice and pride cannot.

As every nation, South Africa also has its vices. Crime is on top of the list, with prostitution following closely behind. It was advisable not to walk alone after dark. There were mid-weekly prayer meetings held in a building two blocks down from where I lived and the meeting closed late. This left me little choice but walk back home. On the way back, there would always be a line of prostitutes standing on the pavement, who I steered clear of. But one night was different. As I walked back quickly, a voice kept whispering inside me to stop and invite them to the prayer meeting. I could not; I wanted to but my feet ran faster. The next week however, I stopped and asked them if they would like to attend the meeting. Their response shook me - “Will your God give us money to feed our families?”. And then I surprised myself even more when I simply answered, “Yes, He will”. Great was my joy when I saw a couple of them in the meetings the following weeks. I don’t know where they stand with God today but I believe that God’s grace provides and cares.

You don’t have to be the best to be a giant for God. God is the giant who will make you the best. Just allow Him to. Let us constantly pray together that God uses our church in great and mighty ways.

Freedom in Love
{Oh, that Your Hand would be with me…}

Here, Jabez is acknowledging his dependency on God. Jabez prays that God carries him in His mighty hands every moment of his life. Many a time we feel that we can make it on our own. We revel in our success and trust ourselves to further our accomplishments. We forget the very Hand that has helped us reach there. And what happens when faith fails us and things don’t go the way we want them to? We end up bitter and disappointed with God. In my own life, there have been far too many disappointments for me to list them out one by one. But there is one thing I learnt from them. It’s always better to run towards God than away from Him in times of trouble. Our dreams can only stretch so far; God’s dreams for us are endless. His divine purpose for us can only be realized when we give Him complete control. Dependency on God is not bondage; it is freedom in the truest form. God is love and when we submit to love, it gives us wings to fly and soar high, no matter how impossible it may seem.

If God is for me, who can be against me? {Oh, that You would keep me from harm…}

We live in a dangerous world full of distraction, opposition and oppression. It is only God’s reassurance that can allay our fears.

I was in Spain on a business trip and it was around midnight. It being my first time in the country, I was eager to explore and make the most of my time there. I had lost all track of time in my sightseeing ventures in a place where few spoke English. As I hurried down an alley in the darkness, (with my video cam and passport...yes, I was that foolish!) rushing to get back to the hotel, I heard footsteps behind me and a man’s voice hailing me “Senorita!”. I froze in terror. I certainly didn’t want to die in Spain of all the places. My mind desperately searched for the best move when the man calmly approached me and handed me a roll of film that had slipped out from my bag. Sometimes, we get ourselves into real irresponsible and foolish situations. I’m so grateful that our God offers his unwavering hand of protection even at times we don’t deserve it.

Have you ever noticed how things seem to go from bad to worse the moment you’re advancing in your spiritual walk? The good news is that it’s nothing to panic about. The enemy doesn’t want you to succeed. And that’s why this prayer is so vital for anyone who takes up Jabez’s challenge.

I was exhilarated about my newfound faith and the Godly passion in me flamed high. And that’s when it all started to go wrong. At that time I was working full-time and doing my Masters part-time. The workload increased dramatically and it seemed like there was no more time or energy left for God. To top it, I fractured my ankle while ice-skating and had to walk on crutches for over 6 months. This immobilized and frustrated me beyond words. Temptations crowded me at every corner. All the easier and wrong things appealed to me better than God’s love. And I drowned like ants in a sugar bowl, intoxicated and overcome.

Of course, God forgives and forgets. He has picked me up from the mire and made me see His light again. Prevention is better than cure. It is easier to keep away from evil than confront it and win the battle. Which is why it is of utmost importance that we keep constantly praying for God’s hand of protection over us and our families.

Jabez and you
{And God granted his request...}

This is the part that I love the most. The verse ends on such a casual note. Jabez asked and God granted. As though it were no big deal…just as easy as that. I cannot thank God enough for inspiring me through Jabez’s example of humility and courage, and for using it to bring me back to Christ a second time. Today, Jabez’s prayer is a popular subject of study, thanks to Dr. Bruce Wilkinson’s book entitled “The Prayer of Jabez”. Jabez will be remembered not for what he did, but for what he prayed.

I hope that the prayer of Jabez will find new meaning in your lives just as it has in mine. When we allow Love to reign in our lives above all else, Christ will open our eyes to see so much more of Him. He will help us enter realms that we never thought possible. Our God is a prayer answering God. So let us, as the Mar Thoma Church, cry out together to our Savior, “Oh, that you would bless us and enlarge our territory! Let Your hand be with us, and keep us from harm so that we will be free from pain”… because He WILL grant us our request.

by Shilpa Mohan