Hello! I do hope Winter hasn’t wiped you out…Spring will arrive, we must hold steady, “be still and wait”.
If I didn’t mention it before, I am Not a Preacher–so everyone can relax! Whatever I post, I’m “just sharing”…because I can’t hold it in!
I’ll say, with no agenda, the Bible excites me–and I love the Lord Jesus Christ fiercely. I believe in the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), and that the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God. It doesn’t matter that I don’t always understand what I’m reading; every word is Truth and Life, so I’m not overly concerned that sometimes I’m confused–the Lord makes things clear in His time.
(I get as easily confused by some recipes, and pretty much anything tech-related–but I still cook, and read the minimum tech-stuff necessary to email, blog, and search ‘whatever’.)
I will not argue theology with anybody–so don’t try to go there with me…just smile, wave and keep scrolling😊. This is what I believe, how I endeaver to live my life…you have God-given freedom to decide your choices.
I’ve not been to Bible college, I do online church every weekend (2 days, 2 churches). I’m an eager student with a full shelf of bibles, and a great app on 3 tablets–the Blue Letter Bible, which I highly recommend (if you’re interested).
I wasn’t raised in a devout Christian home, wasn’t a “Jesus-freak”. My faith journey has been sketchy–starts and stops, ups and downs–and I’m not an expert on the Bible, haven’t memorized it (I know how to look up verses, passages😊).
But in 2011 I had a life-changing experience, an epiphany that is still goosebumps-real today. It didn’t make me a saint overnight, unfortunately–but from that time on I’ve been hungry for more of the Bible everyday. Aside from being the manual for a blessed life, it’s the greatest adventure story, and the people are factual historical folks. They fascinate me…because I’m not so different from many of them. (I have favorites–Jesus is #1, but I’m crazy for Moses and others.)
I’m jabbering about all this just to talk about Jabez–because I reconnected with him at 3am recently. The Bible is huge and heavy, with gazillions of people walking through it–some good, some evil…others just dazed & confused. Some of their lives and stories are very detailed, while others we might only get a passing glance at. Jabez is one of the latter.
I’d read about him, his famous prayer, years ago. He only has 2 verses in the Old Testament book of First Chronicles–but the message, his prayer, is passionate. And I’m psyched up about it all over again–because I believe it was the Lord’s surprise reminder call in the wee hours, so that I wouldn’t miss the good stuff He’s up to.
2025 was a not-good year for me–it seemed to crash and burn in December. I wasn’t sure I could manage a New Year–I felt Old, Decrepit, Totaled…at 73, I just wanted Out. But I hung in there because: “…the LORD’s hold on me was strong.” ~ Ezek 3:14
So let me introduce you to Jabez:
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
“And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him with sorrow’.
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!’ And God granted him that which he requested.”
A short prayer–but fully loaded–catch the last line: “God granted him that which he requested.”
God has granted some of my prayers, and they weren’t small. I’ll give you 2 examples: I prayed my brother would return home so my parents could stop worrying; I prayed for God to heal a young boy who’d been in a traffic accident. I didn’t know God as well back then as I do now, but I was scared, begging Him.
I was shocked when my brother walked through the door mere seconds after I prayed–I could no longer doubt God’s heart,His interest in my life.
As for the young boy who was injured, God healed him. It was not my prayer, but rather the ONE whom I prayed to, which brought life-giving results. When I sought out the boy’s mother in the hospital and told her I’d prayed, and had confidence her son would be alright–I offered comfort. I can’t do miracles.
Jabez’s prayer is a template. I watched a documentary in which preachers and Bible teachers discussed these 2 verses so clearly, and I was hanging on every word. One point they made was that God granted Jabez’s prayer because he was a strikingly honorable man–he stood out among his brothers.
What also stands out are the specific things he was asking God to do for him. He wanted God to “bless him indeed”. Indeed is an intensifier–he was after BIG blessings, not puny ones. And he wanted God to expand/enlarge his territory–what we might call our “sphere of influence”.
According to the learned speakers, this request had to do with Jabez’s desire to step out of his past identity as one “birthed in pain”–and into the good plan God had for him. He didn’t know what that was yet, but he trusted it was favorable–and the reason behind his yearning to be blessed was so he could bless others.
Then Jabez asked God to keep His steady hand on him, and protect him from evil–because he didn’t want to mess up (according to Bible experts in the documentary).
This was an excellent prayer because he fervently desired to continue being a righteous, honorable man–and he wisely realized he’d need God with him every minute, leading and guiding, for him to succeed in whatever God would call him to do. Jabez is humble. Jabez is not self-centered–he didn’t ask for more territory so he could build luxury homes for himself; didn’t ask for riches to satisfy a ‘need’ for trendy clothes, chariots, entertainment.
He didn’t even ask God to slay his enemies–you know he must have had some–his brothers were likely sick of hearing mom brag about how honorable Jabez was.
My heart is deeply moved to pray a Jabez kind of prayer–I want blessings equal to my earnest desire to be hugely generous. I want the Lord to continue speaking to me and teaching me His wisdom. I need His guidance, His leading–because I can get off track easily…I’m not talking about grievous sins, but rather distractions that waste what little time I have left to serve him.
I want my life to reflect and exalt HIM. I want to be of use to Him…His hands and His words to encourage others…because we are ALL struggling through desperate seasons in this world.
Initially, I thought this blog was just a project to keep me busy when stress and anxiety take me down dark roads…but the Lord always has specific reasons for whatever He drops in our laps–“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9
I pray for the bloggers I meet here, I’m grateful for your visits. May the Lord God abundantly bless you with His provisions and protection…and may His Presence become so real that you can’t ignore His love for you.
~ Cale
Poetry ~ Cabbage After Christmas 