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When God blesses you with His divine favour, it is for a lifetime. There is no expiry date attached to it ! And how reassuring is the promise of God that comes to you this month. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. [Psalm 30:5] It is the psalmist David’s testimony after going through many ups and downs in his life, having tasted the gracious goodness of God every step of the way. It comes to you this day from the mouth of God, that you and I may live by it, for His word endures forever. It is true of course that one cannot bypass the righteous anger of a God of love. On the other hand, that the Lord of heaven and earth cares enough about you, to be angry with you when things go wrong is in itself a staggering thought! He cares enough about you in order to chastise you, and it is for a moment. And when He blesses you with His grace and favor, acceptance and approval, it is for your lifetime. It changes your life forever, for it is a covenant relationship with Him, one that you remember and appropriate as you draw near in faith and confidence to partake of the Lord’s Table. It was His Body that was broken for you, for the chastisement that brought your peace was laid upon Him on Calvary. It was His Blood that was shed for you, so that you may be made righteous in Him, for He who knew no sin became sin on the Cross. And through it all, it is a lifetime validity of His favor that you enjoy.
And, even when one looks around at the wrong things that are happening in this beautiful country that we live in, it is true that one does feel a sense of righteous anger rising up from within. But then, when you are in a covenant relationship with the God who has caused you to be born in this nation, you can take it to Him in prayer, look to Him for guidance instead of standing on the road to agitate, and employ other ungodly means to try and bring a solution. Instead of trying, you can confidently trust in the God who can change and mend even what appears to be seemingly impossible. God is always in the business of making wrong things right, and it applies to your life too, in everything that may not be pleasing and acceptable in His sight. He is the God who is love, whose desire is ultimately to bless you and prosper you with good success, even as He works out His will in your life, as you yield willingly to Him. His favor can be expressed in simple terms, as you being God’s favorite. It is also something that is true about every child of God; for God shows no favoritism. It is true and made possible, because He is God! And, what this marvelous favor of God does in your life, how it connects at various levels is the truth that needs to be meditated upon in more detail.
1. Connected to the purposes of God:
God’s favor in your life connects you to His purposes. And the greatest and highest of it all would be His hand of gracious favor that reached out to you to save you and redeem you from the cruel yoke of sin and the devil, and also gave you the grace to respond rightly to His gracious offer by faith. The experience of salvation is the greatest blessing that you can ever enjoy in your life. And it is what really counts in your life here on earth, as Paul writes in his epistle, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will [Ephesians 1:5] And it is through the lens of salvation that you can perceive what God has ordained for you, His glorious purposes that no human eye can see, ear can hear, or mind can comprehend. For without the revelation and application of the truth of it, life will appear to be vanity that is nothing but an empty and meaningless toil. It is the frustrated observation of king Solomon, who had great material wealth and possessions, but had drifted apart in his relationship with God. [Ecclesiastes 2:11]
But on the other hand you will realize that everything in life is precious and significant, when you know the purposes of God, and you are connected to it by His wondrous favor, in a right relationship with Him. It is what the words of Lord Jesus signify, when He says the very hair on your head is all numbered. When you lose a strand of it, the Father knows, is what it implies. Even the very smallest and most insignificant thing that is happening in your life, does not escape the attention of your Heavenly Father. Human pursuits and plans may not be essentially wrong, but when you stand before Him, to give account of all that He has showered upon you in life, in loving care, it is the fulfillment of divine desires and plans and purposes of God that counts. It is when you are born again, by His grace, through faith, that His favor connects you to all that He has planned for you, the good works that He has already prepared that you may walk in it.
Even the suffering and pain that you undergo will not lead you to despair, that invariably arises when it is meaningless and without any purpose. On the contrary it will lead to perseverance and steadfast hope, one that will never disappoint you. Life will not be a meaningless drudgery that finds you existing on maintenance or survival mode, but will be joyful when it is purposeful. Every day may not be the exciting celebration that happens on your birthday. But you can wake up rejoicing every day, to be glad in it, for it is the day that the Lord has made. And, if you are alive today, you have a very great reason to be thankful and joyful, for God has not finished His work in you and through you, to be blessed, and also be a blessing to others.
It was just one man; but when Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord, it led to the salvation of all his family. [Genesis 6:8] Abraham and Sarah were not many when God’s favor called them to be blessed. And today it is the blessing of Abraham that you and I walk in as his descendants by faith in the same Almighty God. It is what can happen in your life and your family today, when you are connected to the purposes of God, as His gracious favor becomes your experience in life. The mandate of an earthly government, however great and important it may appear to be today, is limited to a certain period of time and place. It has to vacate one day when the verdict changes. But, when you look within you to see the invisible that is lasting and permanent, it is the Lord Jesus who even now is ruling and reigning in your heart, and will do so forever, when you become a child of God.
And the truth that permeates from it is that, even before the foundation of the world, God’s plan and purpose for your life was designed, for you are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. And it is when the favor of God comes on you that you are connected to it, for it to be worked out in your life. It also becomes possible, for the One who is seated on the throne of your heart has authority that is incomparably superior to the governments of the world. And it is what the Lord proclaims, as He sets you forth on the plan and purpose of God for you. ‘All authority has been given to me, in heaven and on earth. Go therefore …’ [Matthew 28:18,19] God’s favor connects you to His purpose, and also equips you with all that is needed to carry it out in your life. Failure therefore can never be your portion, when it comes to God’s purposes being worked out in your life, for you will have the power.
2. Connected to the power of God:
It is God who works in you both to will and to do according to His good pleasure. [Philippians 2:13] Paul makes it very clear, as he says this to emphasize the practical aspect of God’s purpose being worked out in your life. You can work out your salvation, and all that it entails, because God is at work in you. For, when you know what God’s purpose is for your life, you then need the power to carry it out, in your life. And, it is then that there needs to be the clarity in you, to know that Christian life is not about trying to make it in your own self effort, but about trusting and depending on the strength of God. It comes to you through His word, and His Spirit, who dwells in you when you are saved and delivered from the dominion of darkness, to be conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of God, in whom you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Your strength is never going to be enough to accomplish the purposes of God.
Often in life’s challenging circumstances, you will find that as the psalmist describes his own experience, the people who are pursuing you may be stronger than you. But it is then that trusting and leaning on the strength of God you will be able to declare and walk in the truth that He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world to overcome obstacles and people who come against you, in your path of divine purpose. ‘Men at work’ is the sign that you often see by the roadside, when maintenance and repair work of any sort is being carried out for the improvement of the roads and national highways. And it is also very true that ‘God is at work’, is a truth that is written over you, as you embark on your journey of favor, connected to God’s purposes and His power.
‘I delight to do your will’ –
It is the confident confession of the psalmist. [Psalm 40:8] And it can become possible for you too, when God is at work in you, to birth divine desires that are in accordance with His will, or His plan and purpose for your life. So, it will take you to a position of joyful willingness when it comes to doing the will of God. Reading the word of God, growing in intimacy with Him through prayer and worship, forms part of the general will of God for you, and it will be pleasurable, for it is God who is working in you to lead you towards it. And, it will not be with an attitude of ‘I have to do the will of God’, but ‘I love to do the will of God’ that you will then approach the purposes of God for you, when He reveals His specific plan and will concerning your life.
You will no longer be under pressure regarding doing the will of God. Problems, and challenges that come in your path, will not stop you. For, when He works in you, God will put a desire, perseverance, and will in you, that will see it all becoming opportunities for His power to be displayed in your life. With a transformed spirit and renewed mind you will approach your problematic situation very differently. When a thousand are falling on one side of you, and ten thousand on the other, human and natural thought process will lead you to think that you too will succumb to the same fate. But David, the psalmist and anointed king, in such a situation, because of the favor of God on him, through a right relationship with Him, was able to speak forth in faith, that he will not fall, but will see the goodness of God in the land of the living! It will work out in a similar fashion in your life too, for God is at work in you, and through you, to take you to the place where He wants you to be, to stand in strong confidence, empowered by the favor of God. And it is not limited to your life alone. God is at work in your children, and the One who saved you, will do the same in them also. It is the truth that you need to cling too, even when there is no sign externally. For, change will certainly come. It is only a question of time, for He has made everything beautiful in its time.
What you can do with your natural ability, will not necessarily surprise you. And sadly, many are satisfied and contented to live such a life; one that is limited to what is humanly possible. But, with the favor of God, it is what God can do in and through you, and it makes difficult things easy. You will do more, and accomplish with ease what you never thought you could do. Therefore, there needs to be a rephrasing of the prayer that is commonly prayed by one and all, when it comes to doing the will of God. And instead of asking, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do for you?’, let your prayer be, ‘Lord, what do you want to get done, in and through me?’. When this is your approach and attitude, days are waiting in your life when you will rejoice to say, ‘This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in my eyes’.
You are – you do – and, you outdo – all by grace:
It is what the favor of God that bestows His amazing grace upon a person can accomplish, to make him soar above the rest of the flock. And, Paul having experienced it in his life is able to say, giving credit where credit is due, powerful words that you and I would do well to emulate. For, when you know that what you are is by God’s grace, and you do what you do depending on the grace of God, you will certainly be able to do more than what others do, but you will also know that it is the gracious favor of God. It is the thrust and implication that underlies Paul’s words, when he says, but by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace towards me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. [1 Corinthians 15:10]
It is also seen in the words of Paul as he commends the Macedonian church, when by the grace of God upon them, they were able to excel in giving, by giving much beyond their ability. [2 Corinthians 8:1-3] Difficult things become easy, when grace of God which is His favor works in you. For, it is His power that works in you, and through you. You are not operating in your own power. Thus, the favor of God connects you to His purpose for your life. It gives you the power to work it out in your life. And, it also connects you to His provision, to provide what you need in order to accomplish it.
3. Connected to the provision of God:
And this truth is wonderfully illustrated in the book of Nehemiah, in his life that was bathed in prayer, in a personal and intimate relationship with the God of heaven and earth. He was an ordinary man, who was used by God to something extraordinary and supernatural, through his relationship with God, as God birthed in him His own desires and purposes for His people, beginning with a rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. He was an exile in Babylon, taken captive from his Jewish homeland. But the grace of God took him to the palace to serve as the cup-bearer to the king. And thus it was that as he stood before the king, the distressing news that he had just received, about the city of Jerusalem that lay in ruins, was revealed in his downcast countenance.
But, as Nehemiah himself records, the gracious hand of the favor of God was upon him, as he stood before the king, who showed kindness and an inclination to render help to remedy the situation. And Nehemiah even as he stood before the king, was conversing with the King of kings in prayer within him, to be connected to the favor of God upon his life. And when the favor of God is upon you, it will bring the favor of men into your life. It was how Nehemiah received a miraculously favorable response from the king, for all the provision that he was led to ask by God. [Nehemiah 2:8]
And, it was not a small and meager request that Nehemiah presented to the king. But the favor of God can do in your life, what no man can ever do. And Nehemiah’s provision, right from the letter of authority that he needed was granted to him. He went to rebuild the ruined walls of Jerusalem, authorized and supplied by the king himself. The favor of God connected Nehemiah, to God’s purposes, causing it to be birthed in him, when God’s desires and will became his, only to be worked out by God’s power in and through him, and also receive His abundant provision.
The faith connection –
Faith always remains the foundation and key that unlocks the treasures of your Christian life. It is by faith that you have a relationship with God; one that connects you to His purposes for your life. It is by faith that you receive the power of God. It is by faith that you receive the provision of God. And, it is by faith that the righteous shall live. Thus confession and proclamation of your faith in God and His word, is not about whipping up emotions on a Sunday in church; it is irrevocable truth. Whatever your need may be, it is not about raising funds, but about raising your level of faith and expectation. And it is not about financial provision alone. For, Nehemiah was joined in his task by willing people who came to rise up and build along with him. Every need is met when the favor of God is upon your life, in order to fulfill His will and desires in and through you. It is why the Lord’s counsel is to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. The Father knows your every need. And when His kingdom purposes are yours, and you are connected to Him in righteousness, everything else will be added in your life.
4. Connected to the prosperity of God:
The favor of God upon your life connects you to His prosperity, which is the accomplishment of His will for your life. It is what will give you good success. ‘This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. [Joshua 1:8] God has a plan for your life, and it is bound to be a success, for the plan of a God who is all powerful and all knowing can never fail. And God’s plan is nothing but God’s will, or His desires and purposes for you. Therefore, it can be seen that doing God’s will is your success in life.
God’s plan = God’s will —> your success in life
Success therefore, is not doing what the world dictates to you, but rather doing the will of God. And Christ has done it all, to show the way; it is what you remember as you partake of His Table. ‘Not my will, but yours’ was His prayer of submission to His Father’s will, knowing all the agony of separation from His Father that lay ahead of Him. To the world, the cross was not a success. It was shame and death. But when the Lord accomplished it, according to the will of His Father, on the third day, death could not hold Him down, and He arose victorious. For, the power of sin was dealt with once and for all, the sting of death removed. The tomb was empty!
After the Cross – there is always the crown!
The empty tomb is the glorious truth that you and I celebrate, as we partake of the communion. And it would not be the case, if the Lord had chosen to follow the dictates of the world that expected Him to set up an earthly kingdom, overthrowing the Roman Empire. But, He chose to do the will of His Father. Maybe today, doing the will of God in your life, may not seem attractive, or may involve a difficult challenge. But remember, that after the Cross, there is always the crown. Doing the will of God is being successful in life, for His word never fails, and His love never fails; so it is impossible for you to fail. His favor is upon you for a lifetime; therefore weeping has to give way to joy in the morning. And if you have not entered into a relationship the Lord, you can do so right now, at this very moment, and taste the favor of God, to do His will in your life. He will give you the plans He has for you, the empowering and the provision, and the favor of God will produce fruitfulness in your life, as His Name is glorified in and through you.
May His will be done in your life in the coming days; His Kingdom reign and rule in all that is connected to you, as you give thanks, for the favor of God upon your life, and all that has been made available to you through it, so that you may enjoy good success. In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
