‘Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord.’ Genesis 6:8 NIV
You ask, ‘What is the favour of God?’ It’s God doing for you what you cannot do for yourself. It opens doors of opportunity. It turns opposition into support. It can help you land a promotion, make the list, or seal the deal. The Bible says, ‘Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.’ (Luke 2:52 NIV)
Note, just as you can grow in wisdom and stature, you can also grow in favour with God and men. So instead of being content with the level of favour you enjoy, ask God for an increase. You ask, ‘How do I find favour?’ Obedience! It begins by surrendering your life to Christ. ‘No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.’ (Psalm 84:11 NASB) And God’s favour is not limited to the spiritual realm; it extends to the material realm as well. In Noah’s life, it translated into ingenious inventions. He didn’t just build the first boat and pioneer the shipbuilding industry, he also made many technical discoveries. According to Jewish tradition, Noah invented the plough, the scythe, the hoe, and a number of other implements used for cultivating the ground. The favour of God translated into good ideas.
It doesn’t matter what you do, God wants to help you do it. He wants to favour your business plan, your manuscript, your lesson plan, your legal brief, your sales pitch, etc. But you’ve got to position yourself for that favour by acting in obedience and walking uprightly. If you are willing to give God the glory, He will bless you beyond your ability and beyond your resources.
SoulFood: Est 1–4, John 19:18–42, Ps 105:23–36, Ecc 7:5–8
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2023
