Thinking of the ending of one year and the beginning of a new year we often look back on our failures and successes and look forward to what we want to accomplish in the new year.
I think of an obscure person in the Old Testament and the attention he got a while back because of his prayer --a prayer that some of us pray on a regular basis.
His brief story and his prayer is found in
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
9 Now Jabez (or ya'betz) was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.
He prayed the following petitions:
1. Oh, that You would bless me indeed, (I need Your favor, Lord)
2. enlarge my territory/border (increase my responsibility, open up doors of opportunity for me, help me be on the lookout for more chances to serve/minister)
2. that Your Hand would be upon me (don't let me minister in my own strength or ability but grant me Your anointing and gifting)
3. keep me from evil (help me not to enter into temptation but deliver me from the evil one)
4. that I may not cause pain or grief (help me not to grieve Your Holy Spirit, help me not to be an offense or stumbling block to others)
I pray that prayer regularly.
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