What's in a name?

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "because I bore him in pain." And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

We live in an age where we meet people with different, unique, and even strange names. Names that sound nice or are uncommon but few people take the time to investigate the meaning of that name.

In ancient Israel the name of a child was important because it had a specific meaning. You could say that the meaning of your name caused you joy or shame in those days. The Bible recounts different men and women who's names caused them shame. 1 Samuel, chapter 4, the bible tells us of a woman who gave birth during a time of tremendous stress and grief. Her husband and her brother-in-law were dead and she had just received news that killed her father-in-law - the ark of the covenant had been captured by the Philistines. When her father-in-law heard this news, he fell back and broke his neck. This poor girl, from the grief and stress of losing her family and worse yet the glory of God had been taken from Israel, she gave birth to her son whom she named Ichabod. Ichabod means "the glory of God is departed." Can you imagine going through life with a name that means that the glory of God is not with you?

Jacob in the book of Genesis was the son of Isaac. He was the father of twelve sons that later became the twelve tribes of Israel. His name means usurper or trickster. Yet when he called on the name of the Lord and consecrated himself to the God of Abraham and Isaac, the Lord changed his name to Israel. Just as the Lord changed Abram's name to Abraham - father of many nations.

In the case of Jabez, the bible describes him as more honorable than his brothers, yet his name brought him shame. His mother named him so because she may have had a very hard time delivering him or the family may have been going through some financial set backs and it was not the opportune time to have another child. Or maybe she was grieving the loss of a loved one as Ichabod's mother was, and named him in her grief. But notice what Jabez does - he knows what his name means, he probably believes that he was the cause of his mother's pain at the time of his birth, I imagine that while he was in school the other kids made fun of him because of his name, yet he calls on the God of Israel. In his shame and in his pain, he calls on the One who can change his status. He calls on the One who can change the meaning of his name or change his name altogether. The bible doesn't say that God changed his name, only that He granted his request.

Let's look at his request - "Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and You would keep me from evil, so that I may not cause pain!" It was a cry for God's mercy and grace. He did not want to be what his name meant or said he was. He wanted to be a blessing! He wanted to reach others with the love of God! He wanted to please God. And here's the best part - GOD GRANTED HIM HIS REQUEST!! He enlarged his territory! He blessed his socks off! He became a blessing for others! The Lord protected him! What does this mean to us?!

We don't have to be who the world says we should be. We don't have to become our namesake. Our future does not depend on the circumstances of our birth or our upbringing! With God all things are possible! He is the lifechanger and the lifegiver! He determines our future! And when we call on Him as Jabez did, and allow Him access to our hearts and our lives, He will bless us, enlarge us, and protect us. Let us ask the Lord to bless us indeed, enlarge our territory, that His hand be with us and He keep us from evil and we WILL NOT cause pain but be blessings to others and a living testimony of the power of the Almighty God in our lives.

God bless you and be encouraged.