More Than Your Mother Made You
by Pastor Andrew Wolfenbarger09/26/2023
1 Chronicles 4:10 - “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”
It can not be overstated the significance of the role that a mother plays in her child's life. From a very early age, a mother imprints herself upon her child, so what is done in that child's formative years will either be a building block or a stumbling stone for the rest of his days. Sadly, too many children have their futures damaged or altogether destroyed by their mothers' failure in these important years.
Not much is known about this man named Jabez. From his name, which means "sorrow-maker," many have assumed that his birth was a difficult one. Names in Biblical times had significance because often they marked a man's past and foreshadowed his future. Think of a man like Moses. His name means "drawn out," which reminds us of the day that Pharaoh's daughter drew him out of the water. Additionally, his ultimate destiny was to draw God's people out of Egypt's bondage. Or Jacob, whose name means "suplanter" because of his many deceptive acts, but God would later change his name to Israel, which means "to contend with God." Ironically though, Jacob got the name from wrestling with God in a physical altercation, his descendants have become infamous for their frequent resistance to God's ways. The same might have been the case with Jabez. His life began causing his mother great sorrow, and it likely could have been destined to do the same thing.
Proverbs 10:1 - “A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”
What rerouted his life and made him an honorable man so that his name is mentioned among these in the line of the great Kings of Judah?
1. A dependence upon God
- "And Jabez called on the God of Israel"
2. A heart for growth
- "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast"
3. A willingness to be guided
- "and that thine hand might be with me"
4. An expectation of adversity
- "and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!"
5. An attentive God
- "And God granted him that which he requested."
Jabez's story might have been one of calamity and disaster had God not interrupted the narrative. All it took was for a man to humble himself and realize that if things were going to change for the better, only the Lord could do it.
Whatever the direction your story is heading right now, God only makes it better. He brings order, peace, and purpose to life, all of which tear through the chaos that life so often throws at us. The only way to ensure that your story ends with a happily ever after is to make sure that God is the focus of your final chapter. If you let Him begin to start today, you'll find that your life is destined to be much more than your momma made you to be.
1 Chronicles 4:10 - “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”
It can not be overstated the significance of the role that a mother plays in her child's life. From a very early age, a mother imprints herself upon her child, so what is done in that child's formative years will either be a building block or a stumbling stone for the rest of his days. Sadly, too many children have their futures damaged or altogether destroyed by their mothers' failure in these important years.
Not much is known about this man named Jabez. From his name, which means "sorrow-maker," many have assumed that his birth was a difficult one. Names in Biblical times had significance because often they marked a man's past and foreshadowed his future. Think of a man like Moses. His name means "drawn out," which reminds us of the day that Pharaoh's daughter drew him out of the water. Additionally, his ultimate destiny was to draw God's people out of Egypt's bondage. Or Jacob, whose name means "suplanter" because of his many deceptive acts, but God would later change his name to Israel, which means "to contend with God." Ironically though, Jacob got the name from wrestling with God in a physical altercation, his descendants have become infamous for their frequent resistance to God's ways. The same might have been the case with Jabez. His life began causing his mother great sorrow, and it likely could have been destined to do the same thing.
Proverbs 10:1 - “A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”
What rerouted his life and made him an honorable man so that his name is mentioned among these in the line of the great Kings of Judah?
1. A dependence upon God
- "And Jabez called on the God of Israel"
2. A heart for growth
- "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast"
3. A willingness to be guided
- "and that thine hand might be with me"
4. An expectation of adversity
- "and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!"
5. An attentive God
- "And God granted him that which he requested."
Jabez's story might have been one of calamity and disaster had God not interrupted the narrative. All it took was for a man to humble himself and realize that if things were going to change for the better, only the Lord could do it.
Whatever the direction your story is heading right now, God only makes it better. He brings order, peace, and purpose to life, all of which tear through the chaos that life so often throws at us. The only way to ensure that your story ends with a happily ever after is to make sure that God is the focus of your final chapter. If you let Him begin to start today, you'll find that your life is destined to be much more than your momma made you to be.
Posted in Living for God
Posted in 1 Chronicles 4, Mother, Future, sorrow, change, direction, purpose
Posted in 1 Chronicles 4, Mother, Future, sorrow, change, direction, purpose
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