Day 6: Born in Pain
Read: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10
What’s in a name? Seems a rather benign, or even ridiculous, question for a devotion. But think about it. Parents spend months not only deciding what to name their child, but the best way to spell it. Seemingly, the more unusual, the better.
Names define us. I recently learned from a friend in social work that a study was done on kids with unusual names. They documented the negative effects on their behavior and ability to socialize. Their name, and its spelling, mattered. Whether it’s a name given to us at birth, or a nickname out of a mean spirit, we are affected by what we are called. The reverse is also true—nicknames given out of a heart of love and tenderness affect us positively.
Throughout scripture, we see people being renamed, both by God and humans. Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Saul became Paul. Jacob became Israel. Daniel became Belteshazaar while Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah became Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego. That’s just to mention a few. When God renamed, it was to redeem the person and align them with his plan. When humans did it, the purpose was conformity.
Hidden in plain sight among the descendants of Judah is our character study for today.
Jabez, “because I bore him in pain.” How do you like that? I doubt anyone would like to be stuck with that moniker their entire life. I can hear it now. These are my sons…and that one? He caused me a lot of pain. Thanks, mom.
Even though Jabez is only mentioned in these two verses, there is actually quite a bit we know about him. The first thing we are told about Jabez is that he was honorable—more honorable than his brothers. I wonder what mom thought about that!
I find myself speculating about the details of his life. Did he marry? Have children? What did he do for a living? While we don’t know the specifics other than he had brothers, why he was named Jabez, and he was from the line of Judah, we do know this second crucial thing about him. He knew the God of Israel was God. He knew to pray to him.
From his prayer we can surmise he had experienced hardship and/or pain. Can you hear it in his words?
- Oh that you would bless me!
- Enlarge my borders!
- That your hand might be on me!
- Keep me from harm!
- That it might not bring me pain!
We get just one phrase in response to his prayer, “And God granted what he asked.” Just like that. No fanfare and no details, which I would LOVE to know by the way. But we do know this third thing: Jabez humbled himself in prayer before God and God gave him exactly what he asked for.
It didn’t matter where Jabez came from, what his name was or what had happened in his life. The only thing that mattered is somewhere in his life he had encountered God. He humbled himself and took his request born out of pain to the only One who could do anything about it. The same is true for us today. It doesn’t matter what is behind us. It only matters what we do when we encounter the God of Israel.
Prayer: God, I want my life to matter. Like Jabez, names and titles have hurt me in life. Some I deserved and others I did not. I turn my back on who I was and what I did. Redeem my name for your glory.