God's Favor

GOD’S FAVOR
"Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands
upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!" (Psalm 90:17)
'For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." (Psalm
5:12)
God's favor is totally and unequivocally undeserved and unmerited. There is nothing we
can do to earn or merit his favor." You are "highly favored" (Luke 1:28) because you
have received God's grace and because He loves and delights in you.
Meaning of God’s Favor The “favor of God” can be described as a divine kindness, or
an act of true compassion on the part of God Himself toward needy and undeserving
human recipients. Often, in Scripture, this act of God toward unworthy men or women is
referred to as God’s “grace” – which means “the unmerited favor of God,”
God helps you accomplish what you couldn't manage on your own. With His blessings,
you stand out in the crowd and get breaks that you didn't deserve. The psalmist said,
"God's favor surrounds us like a shield." That means that everywhere you go, you have
an advantage, a divine empowerment, and a key to open up the right doors. With Joel's
encouragement, you'll see how God's goodness uplifts you every day. He wants you to
reach new levels of fulfillment, new levels of increase, new levels of promotion, new
levels of victory. You have been called out, set apart, and chosen to live a distinctively
favored life.(JOEL OSTEEN)
THE BIBLE MENTIONS God’s favor many times in the Old Testament, and it’s easy to
see that it is good, even vital, to receive God’s favor.
Noah was a recipient of God’s favor.
God was so angry with people’s wickedness that he was sorry that he had made them
and intended to destroy them.
“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (6:8 ESV).
Noah was viewed by God as distinctly different from the rest of the population.
“Noah walked with God,” but the others did not (6:9).
God’s favor provided Noah protection and deliverance.
Abraham received God’s favor (Genesis 18:3), and the added distinction of being called
God’s friend (Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23).
Moses also received God’s favor, and the unique blessing of seeing God’s glory
(Exodus 33:17-23).
The Israelites received God’s favor in the sight of the Egyptians, a favor that allowed
them to not leave Egypt empty handed (Exodus 12:36).
Later, Daniel was taken into captivity by the Babylonians, but God gave him favor in the
sight of his captors.
In each instance, God’s favor provided the blessings of distinction, protection and
provision.
And in none of these instances of God’s favor was his favor earned; it was a gift.
God’s favor is precious, but it can’t be purchased.
It was something so valuable that entire cities and nations sought it.
“The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the
favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’ Many peoples and
strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the
favor of the Lord” (Zechariah 8:21-22).
God’s favor is mentioned more than 100 times in the Old Testament, but I recently
noticed that in New Testament, the word “favor” becomes sparse.
What should we make of that?
I noticed this while studying in preparation for this Christmas.
In the familiar Christmas story in Luke 2, the angel Gabriel pays a surprise visit to Mary
and says, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:26).
She was “greatly troubled” by that greeting and tried to figure it out.
I imagine.
Personally, I would have been a little troubled by the greeter, not just the greeting.
And then Gabriel adds, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God”
(1:30).
You know the rest of the story.
Mary found favor with God. I don’t think she was looking for it, but she found it,
nonetheless.
A surprising favor. A humbling favor. And a magnificent favor.
And Mary gave birth to a child: “And the child grew and became strong, filled with
wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40).
And as the years went on, “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with
God and man” (2:52).
Eventually, while teaching in the synagogue, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
“because he has anointed me
“to proclaim good news to the poor.
“He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
“and recovering of sight to the blind,
“to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
“to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).
And when he was done reading, Jesus said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in
your hearing” (V21).
Yes, God’s favor is mentioned more times in the Old Testament than the New
Testament, but not because of the sparseness of God’s favor.
Not at all.
In fact, the opposite.
God’s favor becomes prolific: favored Mary gave birth to the favored son, whom is the
source for anyone to receive God’s favor.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14
NIV).
I pray that this Christmas you will seek and receive God’s favor by seeking and
receiving Jesus.

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GOD’S FAVOR

Noah was a recipient of God’s favor.

God’s favor provided Noah protection and deliverance.

God’s favor is precious, but it can’t be purchased.

What should we make of that?

I noticed this while studying in preparation for this Christmas.

You know the rest of the story.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

“because he has anointed me

“to proclaim good news to the poor.

“He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

“and recovering of sight to the blind,

“to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

“to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

In fact, the opposite.

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