Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow! God granted him that which he requested.
There are many gifts mercifully given to us by God for which we are compelled to be very grateful; but we must not treasure them too much. We may accept them with gratitude, but we must not make them our idols. When we have them we have a great need to cry out, “Oh, that you would bless me, and make these inferior blessings real blessings;” and if we have don’t have them, we should with greater intensity cry out, “Oh, that we may be rich in faith, and if not blessed with these external favors, may we be blessed spiritually, and then we will truly be blessed.”
