And God Granted...

"God are you there? Can you hear me?" Oh, how many times I've shouted this prayer toward heaven...

"LORD, PLEASE move on my behalf. Let Your favor rest upon me! Grant me peace. Direct me. Deliver me. Restore my strength."

Ever prayed similar prayers?

We all endure seasons of life where trials seem endless and grief accompanies our every breath. Ever feel the physical constriction of grief's tightened clench around your heart? Ever feel like pain is a constant companion that's accompanied by disappointment and fear? If so, you aren't alone.

1 Chronicles 4:10 says,  "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." (NIV)


It seems as if grief and sorrow had accompanied Jabez from birth. His mother called him sorrow or grief, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." (1 Chronicles 4:9, NIV) According to my Hebrew study tool Jabez, or Ya` bets (yah-bates') derived from an unused root probably meaning to grieve or sorrowful. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)


As I read this simple prayer, I wondered: What caused Jabez so much grief? What pain compelled him to pray for God's blessing and favor?

As I silently reflected on this passage, God turned my attention to the latter part of the verse. "And God granted his request."

Whew. AND GOD GRANTED...

God's gentle peace blanketed over me. His Word provided reassurance "I hear you, Julie. You are NOT alone."

Friend, God hears our prayers and in the midst of our pain, He is near. He has NOT and will NOT forget us. We may feel as if we've only known grief...that since birth we've only experienced pain...but amidst all of our grief there is a GOD WHO LOVES us. He understands our sorrow.

Hebrew 4:14-16 encourages us, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (NIV)

Today, let your faith be renewed. Psalm 34:19 says, "A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all." (NIV)

Join me in praying Jabez' prayer and ask for God's intervention. "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."

My prayer for you today is that the Lord will comfort you and reveal His love, mercy, and great favor. That He would lead you and restore your strength. And that YOU would comprehend HIS INCREDIBLE love. In Jesus name, amen.

Today, as the torrents of life blow...remember..."AND GOD GRANTED." Say it over and over. At every obstacle, ask for God's intervention and hold fast to the hope promised in 1 Chronicles 4:10.