A Prayer of Jabez Lesson

The Prayer of Jabez tells us that Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain! So God granted Him what he requested."

Recently we (the staff) at America's Keswick were issued a challenge. A sincere heartfelt challenge to pray this prayer daily for 31 days and to then share with one another the fruit; the various answers to prayer. The challenge was issued on December 4th and right away I decided, "Yep, I'll do this." And that day, I did. I came back to my office and tacked the prayer card to my office wall.

The very next day I received a package in the mail from my Keswick penpal and enclosed was a 2008 calendar. Not just any calendar, but a Jabez prayer calendar covering a varity of topics: faith, dignity, grace, dedication, discernment, surrender, etc. Hmm, that was an interesting coincidence.

It would be seven more days before I'd pray the prayer again. (Sure, I'd read it a few times in between, but I'd yet to pray it from my heart.) It has been two days now that I have sat in my car (after arriving at work) and talked to God through this prayer. From my inmost heart I have asked the Lord to bless me indeed, to enlarge the territory of my heart. I've asked that His hand would be with me to keep me from evil speaking, evil thinking, or any other evil, that I may cause no pain to others or to myself.

"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you."
~~ Proverbs 4:23-24 ~~

Dear ones, God has demonstarted His faithfulness and the heart that seemed to be shrinking is being enlarged by grace and oh how sweet it is! Once again I am learning that I (we) do not have the luxury of forgetting. Above all the other ways that any one of us could or would seek to guard something which is precious to us, WE MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS!! ~Selah, Selah~

Stephanie Paul, child of the Most High God, is a wife and mother of two grown children. She currently serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Ministry at America's Keswick as Women's Ministry Assistant. Her passion is to be an instrument of change in the lives of wounded, hurting people.

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