Enlarge My Territory
A few months ago I decided to read, again, Bruce Wilkerson’s book, “The Prayer of Jabez”, again. Years ago this book was on the top of the best seller list. Jabez, from the Old Testament, prayed for God to increase his territory, giving God the glory. I, recently, felt called to pray this prayer again. While I wait with expectation I also have some anxiousness about how God will do this. I have been watching God’s hand at work and my territory increasing.
During a staff meeting Pastor Tim shared these verses from the prayer of Jabez. 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. And God granted his request.”
Jabez cried out to God, which tells us he was humble and acknowledged his need for God. God had promised each of the Israelite tribes an area, but it was up to each tribe to spread out and possess the land. Even though Jabez had already been promised the area, he asked God to bless him and enlarge his territory, enabling him to do what God had planned. He knew he was dependent on God.
Pastor Tim reminded us that PVUMC has been praying to increase our territory. PVUMC and Closer Walk UMC in Leland merged at the beginning of July, making Closer Walk a multisite campus of Pine Valley UMC. This will help us expand God’s Kingdom into the Leland area which is growing. With “growing gains” we have lots of uncertainty but we are praying that during this exciting time, we will continue to do it God’s way, as Pastor Tims says, “keeping the main thing, the main thing!”
We can respond to God in the same way, acknowledging our need for Him, as individuals and as a church, with a humble attitude. We know God’s promise to His believers is to spread the Good news but we can ask God to enable us to do this. This will affirm our dependence on God.