LIVING LARGER THAN LIFE

I Chronicles 4:10 “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.”

Gordon McDonald writes in his book, "Restoring Spiritual Passion" … You see someone you know, and ask a simple question: "What’s going on in your world these days?" You may get an all too common answer: "I’ve got to cut down! I’m into too many things." Or you ask someone how he or she is feeling and you’re liable to hear the response, "I think I’m on the edge of burnout... or something." You comment on how busy the last few weeks seem to have been, and someone agrees and begins to philosophize: "Tell me, do you ever ask yourself why we’re doing all of this anyway?"

The last thing anyone probably wants to think about is "doing more" We are people living a life that is larger than us. Jabez was praying just the opposite … he wanted to live larger than life. He was seeking to live life by the motto, "Wanting to be more and do more for God." When Jabez prayed for the enlargement of his territory … I believe he was asking for more than just land acquisition. He wanted more influence, more responsibility, and more opportunity to be and do more for God.

If we are going to be "living larger than life" we have to move the boundaries lines of our lives. We have to start praying differently by asking for more rather than for less. Bruce Wilkinson put it this way, "O God and King, please expand my opportunities and my impact in such a way that I touch more lives for your glory. Let me do more for you."

I have often times found myself praying for God to give me some relief. Asking that I could have less to do. It’s true that life is busy and schedules are tight. But, when I am honest with myself, I must admit that the moments in which I feel overwhelmed with tasks or responsibilities are the moments in which I am solely depending upon my own ability to get things done. That, of course, is a recipe for disaster. But when I am in tune with God, when my heart is focused on him and when I am working out of worship to him I find myself with an increased capacity for great things.

You see, like Jabez, most of us would love more territory. We would love a greater influence and greater opportunities. But what we often struggle with is the concept of maintaining balance. Are we spending enough time with our family? Are we getting enough rest? Do we spend enough personal time with God? It cannot be all work and no play. We cannot sacrifice our own well being just to stay busy. So we should ask the question, “What gets us out of balance?” We must allow God to be our balance. We must do what we do under his direction and his strength. We must pray for God to enlarge our territory instead of plowing ahead on our own. Jabez prayed, “Let your hand be with me.” That’s the key.

Jesus taught in Luke 12 that “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” If we ask, God will grant us an enlarged territory. We may be flooded with opportunity to build the kingdom. It will come at the cost of effort and passion. It will also come with the reward of blessing and fulfillment.