Strive for the honour and favour of God – 3 Oct 2008

Today I feel impelled to write to you again about the favour of God.  My bible says that God has crowned us with his glory and honour (Psalms 8 vs. 5).  The dictionary gives the meaning of honour as acknowledgement, praise, esteem, compliment, mark of respect, reputation, admiration, revere, mark of distinction, etc. All these are attributes of God’s sons and daughters.

Consider the life of David. In 1 Chronicles 29:28, it is written that David “… died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor.”  By searching the scriptures we know that because of the anointing and favour of God that was upon him, David was eventually honoured as a great king of .

The favour of the Lord is what opens doors and give you success. Here is what is written about Joseph:
“the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.  So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.” Genesis 39: 21-22 [NIV]

Now forgive me for being personal about myself.  One of my favourite promises, which makes me smile every time I think about it, is Proverbs 18 v 22 “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the LORD.”  How so profound this truth is, that each time I look at my wife I will be looking face to face with God’s favour!  The circular world coins the same promise from God this way “Behind every successful man is a woman”.  In many ways I have learnt to use this verse wisely and have always found God’s favour coming to me through suggestions, advice, support and prayer with my wife during difficult times.

Favour often comes first when God is about to do something far reaching and great in one’s life. In Luke chapter 1:28, Mary the mother of our Saviour Jesus Christ was visited by the Angel Gabriel and this is what he said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you."  

Again look at Noah. When God had made up his mind to destroy the entire world with floods, he gave Noah an assignment to build an ark that was to serve his family and all the animals he was going to gather and bring on board. Noah was not going to be saved or to achieve all he did, had it not been for the favour of the Lord upon him:

The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them."  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 6: 6-8 [NIV]

By the way here are a few words from the dictionary which describe the word favour:
“Good turn, support, prefer, help”

In other words, all the people given favour by God were preferred over others in their generation, they were given a helping hand to achieve whatever they did, they were propped up and given all the backing they needed, they were chosen, desired or fancied. The bible is replete with many examples of such people like, Esther, Ruth, Gideon etc, who were favoured by God.