Rebranded destiny – Part 2

“Änd Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying Oh that thou would bless me indeed…” (1 Chronicles 4:10a)

Glory be to God for bringing us to the word of hope again, last week! A man called Jabez struggled to recover his destiny and a result of unworthy life. One of his prayer contents shall be examined today. “Bless me indeed” is a broad word because blessings from God come from different ways and it is based on your needs. He prayed for abundant blessings from God, as the text read. It was the language of affectionate `desire. Jabez desired the blessing from God because he loved to be more honourable than his brother. The type of blessings he desired was not through corrupt practices, fraudulent acts of his time.

The general view of blessing is when you possess enough material gain. Our society is full of atrocities, today, because of the get-rich-quick syndrome. You may be rich and not be blessed. The concept of God starts from godliness (Psalm 1:1-6), “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly”. If the foundation of your wealth is not directly from God’s blessing, you need to repent and turn back to God. Today, corruption is one of the major problems that have destroyed our economy. Increase in corruption, both in public and private offices, likewise religious corruption because of wealth. The adage says, “The end justifies the means.” Society has been blindfolded that people are no longer ready to query the source of your wealth, as long as you are famous. Jabez’ desire was to be blessed without robbing Peter to pay Paul, without taking bribe like others because he knows this would haunt him all the days of his life. Those that build their wealth through corrupt means are not blessed by God. The admonition of David is a great lesson: “So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid, for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.” (Psalm 49:16-17) The blessing that Jabez desired was a covenanted blessing. The blessing of Abraham was recorded in Genesis 12, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing.” A corrupt man is not a blessing to his nation but a curse. There is no fear of EFCC in the blessing of God, no fear of taking your money to the bank or using different names to procure properties.

Finally, the blessing that Jabez desired comes from obedience to God. “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do ALL his commandments which I command thee this day… And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee…” (Deut. 28:1-2) No one is blessed outside obedience to God’s instruction. Today, ritualists, yahoo boys, and kidnappers, who collect money for ransom, are rampart in our nation.We are admonished to repent and turn to God. “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1Timothy 6:6)