- Meonothai fathered Ophrah; and Seraiah fathered Joab, the father of Ge-harashim, so-called because they were craftsmen. 1 Chronicles 4:14 – Let’s focus on the part where it said Joab was the father of Ge-harashim. Ge-harashim wasn’t a person, is what the location where Joab’s people resided. Ge-harashim means “valley of craftsmen” and the land was given that name because of those who lived in it. So what would then your home be called if it was labeled after you? Stable? Peace? Valley of the stressed out? While it might not literally be named that, know your attitude and lifestyle has an impact on the place you reside. You can create your home or workplace into a source of peace for all those in it or one of anxiety. Let’s strive to make the places we reside be ones those around us want to reside in as well. That will take us choosing peace, grace, and love all the time to create a culture like that in our homes. Start today then with the renaming process. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1367
- Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 – Apparently these two verses known as the “Prayer of Jabez” are extremely well known, and I had no clue of how much so until this morning as I was reading and studying over this passage. Sadly they are so well known because they seem to be scriptural evidence that if we pray, God will for sure bless us and give us what we want, and God will keep all pain from our lives. Context here is everything though, so let break this down. Jabez would have lived during the time of Judges, when Israel was far from living for God. Jabez, being more honorable than his brothers, actually living a God-centered life, called on the God he was following. Put into more understandable language, here is Jabez’s prayer…Please Lord bless me with the promise you promised our fathers if they followed you. Help me to possess the land you gave to your people so I can know you are truly good. Guide me with your hand to follow you. Lord, I know my weaknesses, keep evil far from me and the pain sins bring too so I can continue to follow you. We have a follower of God praying for help from the Lord to follow Him better. A little different than “give me God what I want and keep all pain from my life.” Let’s seek to have the posture of Jabez, to first be following God, but to also be humble enough to know our weaknesses and ask for God’s help to continue pursuing our good God. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2558
Daily DEVO 