Read 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. The name Jabez means sorrow. Sorrow means pain, sorrow, or idol. Compare the meanings of sorrow and grieve. Which definitions are similar?
This mother named her child Pain or idol. Now let’s learn two things: 1) idols in our lives cause pain, 2) our pain can become our idol. Did this mother make the childbirth of her son an idol? How many of us make past pain our idols? Did she then inflict this onto her son Jabez? Until one day, he thought maybe His God was bigger than his name? Bigger than his pain? We don’t know all the details of this prayer, but we know one thing for sure in verse 10, Jabez asked to be free from pain.
Prayer is not arrogant or self-aggrandizing. Read James 4:3. What does it say? When we ask for the wrong motive, it will not be answered—1 Chronicles 4:9 states that Jabez was an honorable man. God doesn’t honor requests motivated by the lust of our faith.
So what does Jabez prayer have to do with our tongue? His mother’s words over her son by the choosing of his name – pain. If we are going to have a sanctified mouth and infuse them with God-given power and authority, we need to be careful with the words we use. Words can hurt.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. Look at the following words. New means made, fresh, recent, unused, unworn. All things mean individually, each, every, any, all, the whole, some of all types. Ministry means service, those who are by the command of Glod proclaim and promote religion among men. Reconciliation means the exchange of the business of money changers, restoration of favor. What does verse 20 call us? What does this title mean in context to the verse?
We are Christ’s ambassadors. It is as if He were making his appeal through us. This imploration is to be reconciled to God Himself. With us being Christ’s Ambassadors, we need to be careful with how we use words. Take time today and search yourself to see if you need to confess any hurtful words you have used.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this beautiful day that you have made. I thank you for your word. I pray that we will be careful with the way we speak our words. I pray that it will be truthful and life-giving.
In Jesus Name
Amen
