Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez saying "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. (New King James Version)

First half part of 1 Chronicles is hard to read because of the genealogies. However I'll try to find some a lesson about prayer from a person in the genealogies. His name was Jabez. Sometimes I check my Bible designed for study groups. This Bible has questions for group discussions.

The questions for today's text are.. 1. How is Jabez's life different due to his prayer? 2. How might Jabez's prayer be related to his mother's pain? 3. What lessons about prayer does Jabez's life exemplify?

Unfortunately we have no time to discuss these questions as a group. I want to encourage each of you to think about these questions. I hope it will be a good training for you to meditate the verses of the Bible. I will try to answer these questions by myself. I will use my imagination to find the answers of these questions. I hope my imagination might not step out of the biblical context.

First I want to ask your attention on the "pain." The name "Jabez" sounds like the Hebrew for pain. His mother gave him this name. Usually father gives name to the baby. This might mean that his father died before he was born. He might be born as the last son of a single parent family. Other older brothers might enjoy the rich life under the protection of their father. They might inherited large territories from their father. But Jabez might be suffered by painful life after his father's death. Only a small land remained for him. Jabez could complain that God was not fair. But he did not do so. He found the gift of faith in him. James says "Listen my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world; to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom; he promised those who love him?" God gave Jabez few material things. But God gave him a lot of spiritual things. And Jabez could get material things through the spiritual things.

Spiritual things are better than material things. Because they will bring us both of spiritual and physical blessings. God never gives us only pain. When God gives us pain he brings power with it. Find the spiritual power coming along with pain.

Second please consider about "patient." You think Jabez was a person who had patience? This patient guy never stayed in his current situation. He wanted that the situation would be changed. Patience is not simply accepting the situation. True patience; perseverance; and endurance try to change the situation if it is possible. I know the verse saying "But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Tim 6:11) But this verse does not encourage us to remain in our disadvantage. The man of faith never put up with his disadvantage; difficulties and weaknesses. We should have souls that hunger and thirst for righteousness. (Matthew 5:6)

As a Christians we may not do wrong things to God. But we might do nothing for God. God will condemn us not because of our wrong doing; but because we did nothing. Do we have self-contentment with current situation? Do we need to have hungry hearts to improve ourselves for the glory of God?

The third of the key words is "prayer." Jabez overcame his disadvantage to his older brothers by crying out to God. He believed in God. He trusted the God of Israel. God had been working in Israel. He had been so powerful and merciful to Israel. Jabez made a clear request. He requested God's blessing and the enlargement of his territory. Clear requests help us to get clear answers from God. Do we request God in his way? Do we pray the blessing and the growth; enlargement; and development of our church? Jabez got the name that means pain. But Jabez changed pain to prosperity by prayer. Let us pray together for our spiritual prosperity remembering the power of prayer.