THE FAVOR OF GOD by Larry W Peebles July 24, 2020 20.27
The favor of God is often talked about and sought after by man with little understanding of what it means. The scriptures and examples that will follow will give us a better understanding and some insight into God’s favor and how to find it. A simple definition is this- God’s favor is His demonstrated delight or tangible evidence of approval. It is proof of His approval, support, goodwill, and kindness. It is also helpful to understand what favor is NOT. Favor is not His love. God is love, and He loves all of mankind, as evidenced by giving the life of His son so that the world might not perish in their own sin. He loves us immensely, perfectly, and unconditionally. There is nothing we can do to change that. Favor is not favoritism, as God is not partial. Favor is not His grace, although they are related as we shall see later. Favor is not God’s blessing, although it may lead to blessing.
When I think of God’s favor in my life, there are many examples that come to mind. One that stands out is His favor when we (my wife and I) have moved for various reasons—buying and selling our home. In almost 51 years of marriage, we have owned seven homes. There is a story of God’s favor I could tell on each of those homes, but I will only share the last two incidents. In Florida in 2011, we prayed and felt we were ready to downsize and move closer to the church where we were in leadership and spending a lot of time. The bigger home had served its purpose, as my son and his family had come to live with us when he lost his job (and home) in the so-called great recession of 2007-2008. When the economy had recovered somewhat, he found a job, and moved to another city. The Lord then supported our request for a smaller home, and told us to begin by selling the house where we lived.
We obeyed and listed our home for sale. We immediately began to look for another suitable home, but had a contract on our existing home before we could find something. Feeling the pressure of closing on our home with no place to go, we made an offer on a home that was going to take significant remodeling before it could work for us. Before that offer could be accepted and finalized, a home we had seen years earlier came on the market suddenly. We liked the home the first time we saw it, but it was beyond our budget. The price had actually dropped significantly during the recession. It was perfect, in move-in condition, and contained everything we needed and a bit more. We withdrew the first offer, and within days had the best home we have ever owned under contract at a price within budget. God’s favor and support led us to that home, and away from the wrong path we had begun to take.
Years later, we prayed and felt the Lord say He wanted to do a new thing in our lives. He was calling us to move to another state. He wanted us to move to the mountains where we had a vacation home. We were to spend time with Him, and write articles for our new website. We did not know it at the time, but from there we would begin our ministry of traveling to the nations to preach the Gospel. We spent a year going back and forth between Florida and Georgia, each time spending a little more time in Georgia and less in Florida while continuing to take care of matters in both states. Near the end of that year, I asked the Lord if we should sell the home in Florida and move. He said we did not need to sell the home in Florida in order to move. We obeyed, and as a step of faith began to box items in Florida and move ourselves with each trip to Georgia. We made 3 such trips, each time pulling an even larger trailer. By the time we were ready to make the final trip in a rented truck, we had a contract on the Florida home at a good price. The buyer bought it without seeing it in person, relying on a video virtual tour. We even signed our side of the closing before we left. Ten days after we moved permanently into our Georgia home, we had the funds from the closing. On one home God asked us to sell and then move. On the other, He asked us to move and then sell. The process of asking and obeying was important. When we pray and submit to His word, then wait without trying to make something happen, it pleases God. Pleasing Him led to His favor and support. We read in Isaiah 66:2- “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
Loving God and loving our neighbors will also lead us into His favor. Proverbs 3:1-4 says- “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” Matthew 25:40 makes it clear we should do for our neighbor what we would do for God and vice-versa- “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Giving gifts and offerings leads to favor with God and man. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering of fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. (Genesis 4:4). The description of the gift indicates it was both generous and a priority for Abel. Cain’s gift was neither, and the Lord did not look on it with favor. Jacob sent a gift to Esau of cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats, and male and female servants in order to find favor, as he had previously tricked Esau out of their father’s blessing. (Genesis 32:5).
Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord because he “was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” (Genesis 6:7-9). This is where grace and favor are related. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8). Through our faith we are made righteous (Romans 3:22), as Noah was, and this leads to God’s favor. This of course must be a true and deep faith such that we walk out our lives faithfully and humbly with God. “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with as shield.” (Psalm 5:12). Blessings may follow favor, but they are not the same thing.
Honesty clearly is a character trait that will find favor with God. Proverbs 11:1 says- “The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights [honesty in business or trade] find favor with Him.”
Wisdom is also recognized and favored by God. Of all the things a new king could have asked for (bigger army, more territory, etc.), Solomon asked God for wisdom so that he could rule the people. This pleased God, and He favored Solomon by giving him not only wisdom, but great wealth as well. The Bible says he was the wisest and the richest man to have ever lived. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 8:35- “For those who find me [wisdom] find life and receive favor from the Lord.” Jesus also gives the example- “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52).
When we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all the other things we need will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). When we desire to please Him more than we desire to please ourselves, it pleases Him. Hebrews 11:25 says of Moses- “He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin.”
God’s favor can be felt in the spirit. When we have the favor of the Lord, we can rest in quiet confidence that our sins are forgiven (Romans 4:7). Whether we feel or experience God’s favor, we know we are on the right track toward pleasing Him. This does not mean that everyone who is prosperous or healthy has found favor with God (Psalm 37:7); nor does it mean that those whom the Lord favors will never suffer difficulties (2 Corinthians 6:4-5).
This is not an exhaustive list, but we have studied these things that please the Lord: our love of God and man, submission, obedience, giving, righteousness, humility, honesty, and wisdom. We have these qualities as Biblical examples that lead to His favor because they please Him. Our primary motive in trying to please Him is that this is a practical way to show our love for Him. “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) A man might tell his wife he loves her, but it is so much more effective to demonstrate that love by doing the things that he knows will please her. If these things are done consistently and from the heart, they may gain favor or favorable treatment, but love is the motive, not favor.
Every nation has a short list of “favored nations”. These are nations that are treated well at all costs, because they treat well in return. Each values the relationship with the other. They are friendly ally nations, fair in trade, ready to help and defend each other. My prayer is that we will examine the things we do or should not do in our relationship with God in order to please God. His favor and support is a life-line in these troubled times.
