A few people have got the wrong idea of who God is. Prayer is a necessity on our part and a delight on God’s part. God may know what He will do, but the responsibility is on us to ask, to pray, and to intentionally plead our case before God.
Saul, Eli, and Hezekiah were close to knowing God but missed the basic fact of praying. It is no good saying, “He is God, let Him do whatever He will.” We must get our priority right in prayer, interceding unil change happens. Those who know God do not give Him rest day and night (Isaiah 62:6-7).
Jabez faced the weight of a painful inheritance, bound by a name that spoke of sorrow and hardship. However, Jabez was not the only one with a negative inheritance. Take a look at the genealogy in 1 Chronicles 4, and you’ll see others with names and legacies of hardship and trouble. There is Koz, whose name means “thornbush” (1 Chronicles 4:18), Anub, whose name suggests “idol” (1 Chronicles 4:20), and Achan, whose name means “troubler” (1 Chronicles 4:26)—remember the tragic story of his disobedience in the conquest of Jericho.
The story of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 serves as a powerful example of how we can seek to change our circumstances, no matter the inheritance we may have received from our family, whether through names, legacies, or negative experiences. Jabez, despite his name meaning “pain” or “sorrow,” chose to call out to God for change. His prayer was a deliberate act of faith and a declaration of his desire for God’s blessing, protection, and a new identity—one that would break free from the negative associations of his name.
He refused to accept the negative identity tied to his name and prayed, saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” 1 Chro 4:10. What a powerful prayer of faith!
Just as Jabez did, we must declare what we desire from God—what we want for our future, and what we refuse to inherit from our past. We don’t have to remain stuck in the struggles of our forefathers, in the chains of generational curses, or in the painful legacies we’ve inherited. Just as Jacob wrestled with God and said, “I will not let You go until You bless me” Gen 32:26, so we too must wrestle in prayer, determined to receive the change, the blessing, and the change that God has promised us.
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells the parable of the unjust judge to encourage His followers to pray persistently and not lose heart. The parable describes a widow who continually asks an unjust judge for justice against her adversary. The judge, despite not fearing God or caring about people, eventually grants her request because he is worn out by her persistence. Jesus then contrasts this with God’s willingness to answer the prayers of His people. If an unjust judge responds to persistence, how much more will God, who loves His people, answer their cries for help?
“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:7-8
Author
kay.alli@legalview.co.uk