Insight for Living

Bill Meyer: Are you living under the weight of a difficult beginning? Maybe your family circumstances, your financial situation, or your past mistakes have convinced you that a small life is all you can expect. Well today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll introduces you to a man who refused to accept that line.

In just two verses tucked away in an ancient genealogy, we discover someone who dared to ask God for something extraordinary. What happened next challenges everything we believe about limitations, destiny, and the size of our prayers. Chuck titled his message "Jabez: The Unknown Who Became Well Known."

Chuck Swindoll: My Bible is open in the Old Testament to the book of First Chronicles, chapter four. Just a word about the times in which they lived. Kings were weak at this time in Hebrew history. Times were hard. The talk of war was always in the air. And there was a sleeping giant called Babylon, or the Chaldeans, that was soon to arise and come out of his slumber and invade the land and take captive all of those who were Hebrews.

It is a period just before what is commonly called the Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah the prophet told the Hebrews that this would happen and of course they were in such indifference they could care less. They went right on living their lives as though he wasn't even telling the truth. But it's coming. It is right around the corner.

Now, as far as this immediate context is concerned, First Chronicles chapter four, we have in these first nine chapters, forgive me, some of the most boring reading in all the scriptures. And what we really have in these verses is a series of epitaphs. It is like taking a stroll in the darkest time of a nation's history through a cemetery and reading the epitaphs that are on all the stones in this graveyard.

And then suddenly without announcement, you stop. And you look at this tombstone, this epitaph in chapter four, where for some reason there is a sudden oasis in this wilderness of names. And the Spirit of God grabs your attention and hovers over one life for two complete verses. This is our opinion that for some reason the Spirit of God selected this man for the purpose of grabbing the attention of the reader long enough to learn a lesson or two from his life.

Let me read the two verses. First Chronicles 4:9 and 10. "And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. And his mother named him Jabez saying, 'Because I bore him with pain.' Now Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my border, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from harm, that it may not pain me.' And God granted him what he requested." Period.

The man is never mentioned again in scripture. There is not one reference from here on to the man's life. Only here does it stand out as significant. Now when I read these words of faith and hope, I find four things that as I'm reading the story I think stand out as significant.

First of all is the name because he returns to it again in the story. The name is Jabez. The Hebrew term means anguish, intense sorrow, pain. Somehow the man was given the name by his mother because it was linked to his birth, which is the second significant part of the story. In fact she said, the verse says, "His mother named him that because she bore him with ya’bets."

It's a play on words. She named him what represented the surrounding atmosphere of his birth. By the way, don't miss the early part of verse nine. He was more honorable than his brothers. I take it that he was the most influential in the family before the final story was told. Whatever and however large the family, there was something about Jabez that changed him from the sorrow and anguish of his birth to the greatness of his influence.

And what was it? Well, it was his prayer. It was his prayer which God honored. The turning point. And in doing so, he lifts his heart in prayer to God and asks four simple things. Did you observe the four? First he asks, "Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed." Let's call this divine ennoblement.

Bless me indeed. Make a difference in my future. Cause it to be in contrast to my past. Divine ennoblement. I pray that you will indeed bless me.

The next part of his prayer: "Oh, that thou wouldest enlarge my border." Long enough have I lived under these limitations and restrictions. Long enough have I operated in this tight radius of pessimism. Long enough have I filled this little space and sort of survived as I have lived out my life. Lord, I pray that you will expand the tent pegs of my life. Enlarge my life. Increase my influence. Intensify your use of my life.

And look next, he prayed, "Oh, that thy hand might be with me." I love that. This is what I will call divine empowerment. Lord, I'm counting on you to do these things in your time and in your way. But when you do, I don't want to go it alone. I want you to go with me. And I want to walk my life under the mighty hand of God, humbling myself and walking closely with you.

Over and over in the scriptures, those whom God uses the most mightily are those who walk under his authority and for his glory. I have no idea who is hearing these words. I don't know what your future holds and I don't know the background you've come from. And for all I know, I'm talking to some future president of some corporation, some future congressman, some future high ranking officer in the military of our nation's future, some grand minister of the gospel in the making, some eloquent statesman or woman. I don't know.

But I speak with a warning. As you accept that high place and that vast responsibility, be sure that your prayer includes "Your hand stay with me, Lord." I have no interest in being an arrogant spokesperson for you. I want to walk humbly with my God.

And then the fourth ties in with the third. This is what I will call divine enablement. "That thou wouldest keep me from harm." That's the whole reason behind the former part of the prayer, that your hand would be with me. You see, God's hand is not only a guiding presence, it is a protective power.

Pray that for your children, by the way. This is a great prayer for you to give to God for your children. Lord, bless each one of them indeed. Enlarge their borders so that they will outstrip any of the things we have ever done in life. Keep your hand with them and keep them from harm in the process.

But will you notice behind it all, there is this little phrase, "That it may not pain me." You see that in verse 10? "Thou wouldest keep me from harm, that it may not pain me." That it may not Jabez me. It's the same word as his name. What's he saying? Why is that there?

Once again, it's a play on words. Lord, keep me from becoming the anguish I once was. That's it. Help me not to live up to my name. Break me free from the shackles of my past and send me on my way in a great and glorious way under your authority so that I will not live out the truth of what I've been told all my life about life and about me.

There is a fourth part of this story that you can't miss and that's the result. We've seen the name, we've seen the birth, we've studied the prayer, and now look at the result. God granted him what he requested. You know what? That's the reason he was more honorable than his brothers, because God said yes. God granted him what he asked for.

It's very probable that some of you who hear these words at this very moment have no trouble identifying with a man like Jabez. Your past is strewn with the litter of this kind of anguish and pain and sorrow. And if you're not careful, I'm going to read your mind for a moment, you're going to tell yourself that the only place you can fill is a small place.

And there's nothing wrong with a small place if that's where God called you to fill. But there's nothing wrong with a large place either. What is it that makes us hesitant to ask God for a grand place? For a vast place of responsibility?

Of course, it's a surprise when he lifts one to that position of authority and responsibility. Most, in fact, all of the men and women of God I know who fill such places tell me that they feel surprised when they think about their role of authority today. It's all part of that walking in humility.

But my question is, could it be that the Lord has planned for you a vast place of responsibility? Could it be that your role is to fill a spot that is an unenviable place where there is a great deal of limelight and a lot of flak, but where decisions make a difference in a society?

I remember as a little boy hearing a lot of little children say things like they hope someday to be the president or they hope someday to be a general or they hope someday to be the chief or the captain or whatever. I don't hear kids saying that that much these days. Are you helping your children dream big dreams and think of the possibility of God enlarging their borders and filling large places of responsibility?

If you are, good for you. Under your influence and with the strength and encouragement and affirmation you can give, the sky's the limit. And your children need to know that.

Now there are three lessons that I find when I study this wonderful story. Three lessons and then a question that I want to ask you. The first lesson is this: A small struggling start doesn't necessitate a limited life. Let me repeat that. A small struggling start doesn't necessitate a limited life.

If you're not careful, the adversary will convince you that because of your past, you can face a future that's just like it. You will have to live with the restrictions of where you've come from. No, Jabez clearly began in sorrow but ended in a place of honor because God granted him what he requested. A small struggling start doesn't necessitate a limited life.

Here's a second lesson: No measure of success is safe without the presence of God's hand on a life. No measure of success is safe without the presence of God's hand on a life. I spoke with a lady several months ago who told me the tragedy of their home. And it wasn't the kind of tragedy that you would commonly hear.

You would look at their home as a neighbor and think, "My, how prosperous they've become. How wonderfully blessed." It looks as though they have no financial limitations. The man has gone from one place to yet another and still another, and each place he sort of made tracks and succeeded.

But she said, "I noticed in the process there is less and less time for God. There is a greater, greater emphasis on himself, his image, his position, his possessions." No measure of success is safe without the presence of God's hand on a life. So just as you pray for the Lord to enlarge your border, don't stop until you've included "May thy hand be with me that thou might keep me from harm."

Third lesson: When it is God who prospers and blesses a life, there is no place for guilt. When it is God who prospers and blesses a life, there is no place for guilt. I find that there is less and less tolerance for those who have large places to fill. I find there is often envy and suspicion and a critical eye leveled at those who are in large places of responsibility.

I read, if I may apply this to the world of athletics, I read of a few superstars as they describe living in the community where they have their home and the difficulty of just living a normal life because of their role on the team that they play for and the demanding public and the expectations of the world and the suspicion of their lives.

When it is God who prospers you, there's no reason for guilt. As a matter of fact, I have enormous compassion and tender feelings for anybody who fills a large place. You know, I'm going to tell you something. Never said this publicly. I've said it to Cynthia many times. Every time I see high ranking people deliver an address, my heart goes out to them.

And when I'm around a few of them, which is not very often, I can assure you, but when I'm around them, I sense a pressure and I sense this enormity of responsibility, this enormous presence. And I just, my heart just goes out to them in compassion for what they have to live with.

Now, be that as it may, I want to ask you a question. Here it is: What large thing are you asking of God these days? James says you have not because you ask not. What large thing are you asking of God these days?

Let me close with an imaginary story. Imagine yourself, and I will imagine myself, as we step into the presence of the Lord after death, or when he comes and takes us home to be with him, and we get our first glimpse of the glories of heaven. Now, I can't imagine the scene and you can't, but give me a few moments and I'll create a scene that may or may not hold true, but let's just imagine that we are in the resplendent presence of heaven and we are with our living Savior, who hand in hand is leading us through the places of that eternal home of ours.

And we happen upon this wonderful, vast room that is full of beautifully and gaily wrapped gifts. Each one has your name on it. Each one has my name on it. And I tug on his robe and I say, "Lord, what are all of these?"

His answer would be, "Oh, Chuck, these are some of the great things I set aside for you for which you never asked. I have a room full of such things for you, but you have not because you ask not."

As you tell your children stories from the Bible, I hope you will also include teaching them how to pray. Show them this simple little story from a children's Bible and read it to them. And assist them in praying for great things. And name a few of those possibilities and just put them all on the spectrum that they might set their sights high.

And then you might even tell them my little imaginary story and remind them that God has a wonderful room full of delightfully packaged gifts wrapped with their names on them. And all they need to do is ask.

Well, it's another story from the Old Testament and it seems as though some of it might be fanciful, but I think there's enough truth here to make you think. I can think of one whose future was not at all bright and glorious and large and expansive. I can think of this one whose life was not to be long and extensive, but it was to be influential.

And in contrast to all the rest of us who come to this earth to live, he came to this earth to die. And his future was a cross. Think of it. And in fulfilling his work on the cross, he reached the pinnacle of God's plan for his life. His name is Jesus, whose mother bore him in pain. But how wanted he was and how needed.

For the next few moments, I would invite you to bow your heads and close your eyes. I want you to just be still and sit, as it were, beneath the cross of Jesus and there take his hand and give him your life.

God speaks in a hundred different ways every week to various ones of us. And at this moment in the midst of this week, let the Lord speak to you who came that we might go, who gave that we might have, who willingly restricted his life that we might know an expansive and fulfilled life. All that perspective comes when you are at the cross of Christ.

This is a perfect opportunity for anyone who has never given your life to Jesus Christ to do so. May we pray together. Our Father, we receive your love, your grace, your mercy. We accept your gift, this one who came that we might live and know a life of forgiveness and purpose and meaning and definition.

How grateful we are for his faithful presence. From him we learn to give. From him we learn to sacrifice. From him we learn to release. From him we learn to give you the glory and the praise. Teach us these things anew as we quietly sit with you. Teach us again in this time of worship the importance of your presence and power in our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Bill Meyer: With Chuck Swindoll's closing prayer, we conclude our two-day study about Jabez: The Unknown Who Became Well Known. This is Insight for Living, and there's much more to this dramatic story that Chuck wants to show us. We'll discover the amazing ways that God responded to Jabez and expanded his territory for God's glory.

Insight for Living has chosen to feature this collection of Bible stories because it elevates lesser known Bible characters. Each one teaches us deep lessons about life. Some are heroes, others are casualties of their own making. But with each one, Chuck has a remarkable ability to resurrect these forgotten lives from a verse or two of scripture.

Suddenly you're not reading about ancient history. You're sitting across from someone who knows what it's like to yearn for more. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives brings these encounters to life. Whether you're starting your morning with one of these stories or your small group is hungry for something deeper than surface level discussion, our Searching the Scriptures Bible study workbook will guide you.

To order the Bible study workbook and other related resources, go to insight.org/offer. Since our very first day of broadcasting back in 1979, we've discovered that our listeners are driven to learn more about God and the Bible. In response, we've created Guided by Grace.

It's a stunning quarterly magazine that arrives at your home filled with biblical encouragement. Every issue focuses on characteristics that mark genuine Christian living: unshakable joy, authentic relationships, servant leadership, and generous hearts. In Guided by Grace, you'll discover Chuck's insights on each theme, inspiring testimonies from Insight for Living pastors around the world, and devotionals designed for meaningful personal reflection.

It's practical biblical content that meets you right where you are. Best of all, you'll receive it free for one year as our gift to you. We'd love to send you Guided by Grace when you call us at 800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/guidedbygrace.

I'm Bill Meyer. Join us when Chuck Swindoll tells the fascinating story about the officer whose leprosy was cleansed, Friday on Insight for Living.

The preceding message, "Jabez: The Unknown Who Became Well Known," was copyrighted in 1990, 1992, 2001, 2006, 2012, and 2024, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2024 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.