What lesson does the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10 leave us?
Prayer is a great privilege that God, by His grace, grants to His children, allowing us to express our submission to His will for our lives. To this end, we must learn to pray with humility, dependence, and expectation of the blessings that Jabez manifested. Jabez means “painful” or “bringer of sorrow” in Hebrew, as his mother bore him with great pain. It is likely that he was a descendant of the Kenites and later was incorporated into the tribe of Judah; therefore, he did not belong to the people of God. He was a distinguished and God-fearing man.
Jabez’s prayer contains an urgent petition for four things:
- The blessing of God: Jabez knows that the God of Israel is the source of all blessing, and he asks God for His grace. Without a doubt, this request was based, at least in part, on God’s promise of blessing to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 22:17).
- An extension of territory: Jabez prays for victory and prosperity in all his endeavors, and that his life be marked by multiplication.
- The presence of God’s hand: In other words, Jabez asks that God’s direction and strength be evident in his daily existence.
- Protection from harm: Jesus taught His disciples to pray in this way: “Our Father in heaven . . . deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:9, 13). Jabez confidently looks to God as his defender.
The goal of Jabez in his prayer was to live free from pain, and the last thing we read about him is that God heard and answered his prayer. Just like Solomon’s humble prayer for wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-14), this devout prayer of Jabez for blessing was answered. The success that Jabez enjoyed compensated for the pain of his beginning. Jabez’s prayer surpassed the name of Jabez.
Jabez’s prayer is a good example of how we should make prayer a priority in our lives. We should always seek God’s help in times of need, and we can bring our petitions directly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Along with the prayers of Hannah, Jonah, Hezekiah, Paul, and, of course, our Lord’s model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), Jabez’s prayer provides a wonderful example of a child of God approaching the Majesty on High with humility, faith, and trust in God’s goodness.