Bless Me!

"Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, 'Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, and that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that iI may not cause pain!' 

And God granted him that which he requested." 1 Chron 4:10

This simple prayer was written about in a book not too long ago that spread like wildfire across the world. Apparently it touched a nerve in people everywhere. What did they resonate with?

Personally I believe that we all want to be successful. We want to be needed, be loved and to belong to something greater than ourselves. Jabez wanted more than status quo…he wanted more influence…more intimacy… and more insulation from evil.  He was seeking a blessing from God.                    Everyday when I get up I pray that God would direct me to the people and conversations that would please Him and bless me. I don’t want to waste time doing things that aren’t eternal.         I, too, seek more influence. When you have influence you can make a greater impact and create a larger footprint for the kingdom of God. The only way to see that blessing and that influence come into being is to be very close to the One in whose image you are created. And when you walk with Him you will be insulated from darkness because light cannot reside with darkness.

The verse ends by saying that God smiled on this prayer and honored it. Jabez got what he was after. Today, if you are looking for the right things, you can also receive what you need from God. So pray away. Influence on the world, intimacy with Christ and insulation from the enemy…God will grant your request too! It's ok to ask for His blessing. Try it..."Oh God, bless me indeed!"