The Bible in a Year – 13 September

If this is your first viewing, please see my Introduction before reading this.

13 September. 1 Chronicles chapters 3-5

More lists of descendants and ancestors, the vast majority of whom are merely mentioned by name as father, mother, son, brother or sister of someone else. These are of little interest to us now, although there are a few names found elsewhere in the Bible.  But every now and then, we get a sort of ‘aside’, a potted biography of one person or family.  For instance, Jabez-

“Jabez was honoured more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!’ And God granted what he asked” (4:9-10).

This seems to be held up as an example of the correct way to pray, which pleased God.  The first think he asked was “blessing”, a word that can be interpreted in many ways – was he seeking financial gain, popularity, good health, a large family (which may be the meaning of “enlarge my border”), or just a sense of God’s presence with him?  After that he asks for God’s hand – ie. guidance – and protection from harm.

The pattern may be seen as having similar elements to the Lord’s Prayer, where the corresponding request to “blessing” is “give us this day our daily bread” i.e. just enough to get by on.  We also ask for “God’s will to be done on earth as in heaven”, which is similar to “your hand might be with me”; and we also ask for God’s protection (“do not bring us to trial, but deliver us from evil”).

These three elements of prayer – seeking God’s provision for life, his guidance in life, and protection from harm – are what keep our other prayers in perspective. Asking anything more than that is self-interest.