Jabez…

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,[c] saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 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 4:9

¿Who would name a son, pain? In 1 Chron. 4:9 we find an interesting statement about a man that was name by his mom as pain. The reason why, according to the bible passage is because she bared him in pain. Now, let’s consider a fact; all women bear their kids in physical pain, so it must be something else that this passage is meant to explain. According to some studies, the reason why, and because the fact that his father’s name is not listed in the genealogy, is representing that Jabez, was a son without father and by that it meant a lot of disadvantage. First of all, no heritage, and without protection. The father was the stone of the new babies. Can you imagine people calling your son, pain? I can’t imagine, “excuse me, can I talk with pain? Or pain, come here. Nonsense things for us, for sure, but the truth of the matter is that he was with a lot of challenges in his life. Change his destiny. Since he couldn’t change the his whole life at once in one act, as maybe we all may want, he decided to change something he could, be better than his brothers. Was more honorable than his brothers. He was the kind of man that was honest with himself by accepting that he was not so blessed as he wanted to. More honorable, more searcher of the truth and he found it. He was move to cry out to God for a real blessing. One mistake we may all do, or maybe just some of us is to think that we are already bless because we have some things, but notice something amazing, Jabez was asking for that kind of blessing where nobody has to ask, how you doing? He asked God enlarge my territory. A territory meant a lot and still do, especially for farmers and pastors, as more territory more harvest, more grass, more sheep. He was asking God, help me to enlarge what you already gave me.

Some people may thing, this is ambitions, covet, but the reality is that we should ask so we should receive. Jesus said to his disciples and He say the same thing to us, ask. Now allow me to suggest some things that we need to accept as the beginning of a real blessing, like Jabez did:

We must accept that we are not that blessed, as we should.

We have to know that we can’t pay to God for a blessing. He asks and God granted to him.

We need to have a vision of what we want, or we will expect nothing. He said enlarge my territory.

Jabez acknowledge that the Hand of God can save him from evil.

This week is starting, let me ask you are you really blessed, or just saying to hide that you may be having some problems in your life? Lets all move into a real blessing, seek the kingdom of God first, then everything else will take place and yes, nobody will have to ask how we doing? It will be so obvious that God is with us. God bless you.

Pastor Diego