Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0218

Our God Changes Destinies

Bible Nugget 0218 [1 Chronicles 4: 9-10 American standard Bible]

9 And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow! And God granted him that which he requested.

In 1 Chronicle chapters 1 to 5, lists of people are mentioned who lived in different generations starting with Adam, the first man created by God. No doubt, some of the people in the genealogies mentioned had wonderful experience with God, while others lived unhappy lives. One name that stands out, who wanted to live an eventful life and not be constrained by his past personal circumstances, was Jabez.  The two verses above summarized his life.

Jabez was born in sorrow by his mother and he lived a life filled with sorrow until he met the God of Israel, a life falling apart until he wrestled with God in prayer, Gen 32:24-32. See bible Nugget 0208). What an encounter! To have a stigma in ones life without hope is definitely demoralizing and the evil spirits of shame will rule such a life. Jabez’s mother named him Jabez because of her sorrowful experience of pain at his birth. She refused to forget the pain of childbirth even after seeing the bundle of joy of a baby before her, and stuck her child with a name tag that will made people to have second thought whenever they called or remembered his name. His name was his badge. He probably had few friends at childhood and was most likely bullied. The total sum of his life experience was shame. That did not deter him from seeking solution. He refused to be discouraged and sought solution, until he found the right solution. He sought God in prayers, asked for full restoration of lost and new blessings, asked for expansion and not contraction brought by shame and prayed for wisdom to discern between good and evil. He had a very heavy heart and he poured it out to God. Jabez’s case shows God will listen and grant the prayer of a heart laden with the sorrow of past failures. Unlike a woman who can forget to have compassion on a child she is tending, God says he will not forget you in your situation.

Isaiah 49:15

 ¹⁵Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Jabez addressed God with the right words in prayer. He remembered that Jacob’s name was changed from Jacob to Israel by God.  Jabez knew that if he could connect with God just as Jacob did with God his life will be changed. The life experience of Jacob was filled with distress until he saw God and wrestled with God in prayer, Gen 32:24-32. See bible Nugget 0208.

Prayer Nugget 0218

Begin to pray divine destiny prayer for yourself.