The Favor of God

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. Ps. 5:12

Yesterday we started a new Sermon Series on the favor of God and how different it is to our modern day definition of favor. The current definition includes the words favortism and partiality. Romans 2:11 states there is no partiality with God. He sees each of us as an individual whom He created for His joy and purpose. We also believe that favor means everything is going well and when it doesn’t, well we’ve lost the favor, but that isn’t true either. And there are plenty of examples of that in Scripture.

Exodus 12 and 33 tell us that God’s favor was on the Israelites when they were released from Egypt and they came out with Gold, Silver and precious jewels. Some say it was their back pay for the years of captivity, but it wasn’t just for them, it had a purpose and that was to build the Tabernacle. Joseph was born into a wealthy family only to be thrown in a pit by his brothers, who decided to sell him to slave traders. He was then bought by Pharoah’s Captain of the Guard, Potipher, was put in charge of his house where his wife propositioned Joseph he refused, she lied that he attacked her and he was thrown in the dungeon. There he rose to assistant to the warden until he interpreted a dream for Pharoah and became the Prime minister. As Prime Minister he was able to save nations during a years long famine, including the very brothers who sold him into slavery.

The favor of God doesn’t come and go, it remains and the most important part is that’s what we need to remember. Troubles will come and go, but God’s favor on us remains and if we remember that the favor we experience is from God alone, not earned. When we stay focused on Him and thank Him for the favor we see and continue to trust Him when we don’t see it He will bring us to His purpose of the favor to influence and lead others to a relationship with Jesus. And it’s His salvation that brings us His favor.