The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. ² Reaiah son of Shobal became the father of Jahath, and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. ³ These were the sons^[a] of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi, ⁴ and Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem. ⁵ Ashhur father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah; ⁶ Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. ⁷ The sons of Helah: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. ⁸ Koz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel son of Harum. ⁹ Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!” And God granted what he asked.” 1 Chronicles 4:1-10

It is from an obscure text in the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 4 verses 9 – 10, within the descendants of Judah, that we have the prayer of Jabez. Just ten years ago, this prayer sparked a tremendous renewing of prayer life and stirred the hearts of many Christians. The prayer is short – but the books that it sparked were long and quite profitable for its author. It is a short prayer that can be memorized – and could be incorporated into one’s prayer life. The only thing that disturbs me about this prayer is the single mindedness of the prayer. Lord, bless ME and enlarge MY border, that your hand might be with ME, and that you would keep ME from hurt and harm. If we compare this prayer with the Lord’s Prayer, we find a startling difference. The Our Father, does not begin with MY Father, but Our Father, the Lord of all, whose name is hallowed. Continue to look at this prayer and see how the Lord’s Prayer focuses on the community of believers, not just on one individual. Which prayer should we, as members of the body of Christ, memorize and utilize in our prayer lives? Yes, it could be both – and both need to be prayed since our faith is not an individual thing – but part of a community of believers.

Pastor Dave