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Day 2 – Close Encounter 1 Chronicles 2-9 Yesterday I asked the question, How far back can you trace your ancestry? I know some of you can go back quite far, and some only a couple generations. Throughout chapters one through nine is a close accounting of every generation from Jacob’s sons or Israel. Every name, where they occupied the land, and the work they did. It was a very close accounting and necessary if the people were to regain their portion in the land when they returned from exile. Upon further examination of the commentaries I was able to discern the name of the person who wrote the books of Chronicles – Ezra the scribe, who also wrote the book by his name. A hint of that is in 5:3 1 Chronicles 5:3 The sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. (KJV) Chronicles then is a retelling of the genealogies by Ezra when the Israelites returned from captivity. It gave the names of every person so they could take possession of their inheritance within the tribes. You will also find another genealogy in Ezra 2 similar to that of the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles. In the midst of all the names of every tribe of Israel there is an interesting account of one person who wanted to rise above that of his brothers and sought God in his quest. His name is Jabez. You might have heard about him and his quest through another book called The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson. 1 Chronicles 4:9 And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. Here in the middle of the close accounting of every name of every tribe of Israel is one man’s request for God to enlarge his borders, to change the meaning of his name from sorrowful to blessed. He asked God to keep evil away from him and for God’s hand to be on him. We might consider that kind of prayer as presumptive, that no man or woman is worthy to make that kind of request of God, yet God did not think so because He granted Jabez’ request. A close accounting then isn’t just about genealogies, but a close encounter of another kind, closeness with God. We often pray for a closer walk with God, but rarely does it happen. We become like the numerous names given for every man and a few women from the tribes of Israel, just another name in the book of records. Do you want to be just another name? Don’t you want to be another Jabez who took the initiative to make a request of God? I know I do. As Christians we are supposed to stand apart from all those who go through the motions of life and become just another name on the record of life and death. Jesus said ‘Ask’, and yet we still consider it presumptive. It’s time to get away from the idea of being presumptive and take Jesus at His word and ask. Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (KJV) John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (KJV) We need to start having that close encounter with Jesus. When we do we will be able to do as Jabez did and become presumptive with God and God will grant our requests just as He did with Jabez. Let’s pray: Father, help me become presumptive in my requests. Help me have a close encounter with You so that when I do ask, I know You will answer because it is Your will to bring joy to my life. Joy because the closer I get, the closer to Your will I become so that every request is Your will for my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 20 November 2015 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux All scripture is King James Version, edited by me into common English. Image courtesy of Pixabay