Prayer of Jabez and Our Prayers

In my daily Bible reading the other day, I came across a popular little passage – at least, it was very popular a few years back.

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. – 1 Chronicles 4:10

This and the previous verse are the only two mentions of Jabez in all of Scripture.  (Okay, there’s a third, but it is in reference to a location, not the person.)  And yet, it became a sensation in America.  The Prayer of Jabez book.  The Prayer of Jabez Bible study.  The Prayer of Jabez stuffed dolls.  The Prayer of Jabez breakfast cereal.  The Prayer of Jabez flamethrower.  You get the point.

I think this really shows the level to which Americans are caught up in the prosperity gospel.  What does it really say?  “Bless me.”  “Enlarge my territory.”  “Be with me.”  “Keep me from harm so I will be free from pain.”  Now, I’ve never read the book, the graphic novel, or seen the movie, so maybe this stuff isn’t nearly as superficial as I’m thinking it is, but the average person is going to look at that prayer and not dig any deeper.  They are going to think that this is how we are supposed to pray, and that God is supposed to answer us when we pray in this way.

I haven’t been a pastor for very long, so my experience is not extensive, but I can tell you without a doubt that not all of our prayers along these lines are answered.  Yes, Jabez’s prayer was answered, but that doesn’t mean that God is now bound to answer our prayer in the same way.  As we mature in our faith, we realize that maybe this isn’t the best way for us to pray.  We are blessed.  Never forget that.  Most people reading this are reading it because they are blessed.  They have a computer or mobile device that allows them to access it.  Instead of praying for more stuff in our lives, what if we began to pray about how we can bless others with our stuff?  What if we approached our possessions as potential ways to bless others or connect them to God?  That would certainly change things, wouldn’t it?

Think about it.  How do you pray?  Do you pray for more things for yourself, or do others play an important role in your prayer life?  Prayer connects us with God; it doesn’t make God do the things that we want for our own benefit.  Try it for a week.  Make your prayers be for opportunities to bless others.  Make your prayers focus on the goodness of the Lord.  Make your prayers focus on other people who are in more desperate need than you.  You might find that God is going to respond in more ways than you could have ever imagined.