I’ve decided to start a blog series on one of the most life changing prayers. Some of you might remember right after the new millennium, many churches were heavily promoting Bruce Wilkinson’s book titled, The Prayer of Jabez. Just as with Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life, Bible studies were popping up throughout churches as the hunger for God’s blessing was cried out to Him. The short acknowledgement in the book of 1 Chronicles chapter 4: 9-10, has left a lasting impact on people’s lives changing the way many pray. Jabez’ life must have been special as the writer pauses from his genealogy to reflect on him.
- “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.” (NKJV)
In the next several blogs, I’ll be breaking down the significance of this prayer sharing what it means to me as well as the inspiration Bruce Wilkinson has shared in his book. I hope whoever might read my blog will pick up this book at your local book store or library. It is short, easy to read and straight to the point. I guarantee you will be blessed by it if you apply the requests of Jabez into your own life. If you’ve read this book some time ago, I encourage you to pick up the book again as I’m doing so you too will get a fresh perspective of this prayer that was said by a man who was called “more honorable”.
My prayer for myself and those who read on is that we would be blessed in the ways God would have us be, that He would broaden the territory of lives we touch in Jesus’ name, that the Lord’s hand would be on us and keep us from evil and sin so that we can be a light for others rather than harm or discourage them. I hope too this prayer won’t be said in a religious sort of way but that people would be specific in their requests for God to bless them. What territory of your life could use enlarging? Are your actions capable of causing others to stumble in their walk with Christ or cause unbelievers to not want God? Think too how this prayer might apply to your children’s lives. This is one example of how we can pray for our children:
“Oh God, that you would please bless my child, that you would expand the territory in their lives that they might be a light to others at school. Place Your hand of protection over them and keep them from sin and from harming others. Amen.”
I would love to hear testimonies of how others have grown in faith by this prayer. Please feel free to comment.
Please check out the other blogs in this series as they become available.
The Prayer of Jabez: