Favor in the Unfavorable

God specializes in giving favor in unfavorable conditions.  Joseph found favor with Potiphar after he bought him from the Ishmaelite’s to be his servant.  Potiphar respected Joseph and promoted him to oversee his household.  Joseph also found favor in the sight of Potiphar’s wife, who took her likeness for him to another level, which had him running from her to keep his integrity, leaving his coat behind in her hand.  Sometimes we may have favor with the wrong people who want us close to them.  However, we must be discerning and flee from any situation that would put us in disobedience to God.  This vicious vixen lied saying he tried to make a move on her, as a result Potiphar unwillingly had him thrown in jail, where Joseph once again found favor with the chief jailer and was put in charge of supervising the prisoners.  Who would have thought that jail would be a good thing for Joseph and even his jealous brothers, who were the reason for his troubles?  Yet, prison was a setup for him to become prime minister and later to save his family from famine, which included his devious brothers, who had thankfully mellowed over the years of separation from their younger brother.

Esther experienced adversity from a very young age being orphaned, and had to move in with her cousin Mordecai.  More heartache came, when she was taken and put in a harem to be groomed over a year’s period for presentation to the king, so that he could choose his wife from the group.  This could not have been a pleasant season for Esther who was instructed by Mordecai not to disclose her true identity as a Jew, for fear of what may happen if she did. Yet, in spite of all this, Esther was favored by Hegai, who supervised the women, and having followed his wise guidelines, she later had favor with the King, who selected her to be his next wife.  Advantageously, Esther would have the king’s scepter pointed to her so she could enter his presence and make her requests.  Esther was favorably positioned to save her people.

Another heart wrenching Bible story was about Ruth, who in spite of losing her husband, pledged her faithfulness to her widowed mother-in-law Naomi, and went with her to a land which she did not know.  While gleaning in a field picking up produce left behind for the poor, she found favor in Boaz’s eyes, who became her kinsman redeemer.  Serendipity did not lead her to Boaz’s field, but God’s favor did.  Adhering to Naomi’s directives, Ruth married Boaz and became one of Jesus’ ancestors. 

We too have favor no matter what situation we are in when we accept Jesus as our Savior.  We have full access to the throne of the Father, and we can go before Him with thanksgiving and praise.  He loves to abide in the praises of His people.  And, there is no better favor than having God abide with us.  We can go to His throne in confidence with our petitions too. When He walks with us through the fire and blesses us during the desert places of our lives, that’s favor.

Recently, I made a dumb move forgetting that I did not secure my cellphone in my bag and when I got out of the car it flew face done in a puddle of water on the side of the road.  I cleaned it up and it never stopped working.  That’s favor.  I couldn’t afford a new phone, as a matter of fact, I couldn’t afford this phone which I have, but I found favor in the sight of the one who gave it to me.  Lack of financial resources or material possessions, cannot stop God’s favor.  Plus, our plans falling apart may be God’s favor, as He may have a more favorable plan.

Favor comes in many different ways. So, as we go through our day, let us ask God to open our eyes to see the favor He has given us.  It could be the warmth of the sun on a beautiful clear day, or the rains breaking the drought on a cloudy day.  Solomon may have gotten a bit cynical in his old age, but he still knew that for whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. Ecclesiastes 9:4 NASB.  Yes, if we are living, then we have hope, and that’s favor. 

 

And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:5-8 NASB

Having the love of God and having Jesus die to save us from our sins, so that we could have eternal life.  Now that’s favor in a big way.  Know that you are extremely favored, no matter what life throws at you. 

Accepting Stones and Snakes

This past week it seems that God has been hammering in my brain that He loves me and He would not give me a stone instead of bread, and a snake instead of fish.

Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:9-11 NASB

It's just that sometimes I feel like I am accepting stones and fish because that is all I am being offered. However, those thoughts are from the father of lies. Whether, I am deserving or not, God gives good gifts. Actually, none of us are truly deserving of His blessings as we all fall short of His glory. But, He gives them to us anyway. We choose, however, to accept what He presents to us or to reject His offerings. In addition, we must also be  discerning as the devil parades himself as an angel  of light, tricking us to hold on to his schemes, which traps us in a dark abyss. He offers us stones and snakes wrapped in alluring packages. Unfortunately, it seems that I, like many others, will easily accept the stone and snake, rather than the bread and fish.

You see, it is very much like the Israelites who were out of Egypt, but Egypt was not out of them. They were confined by a slavery mindset even though they were physically free. Regrettably, they did not accept the liberties God had given them and ran to idols instead of to Him when the going got tough. They relinquished their blessings and a whole generation died before they reached the Promised Land. They lived as if they were in prison, instead of the spacious place God had given them. They robbed themselves of His blessings through their thoughts and actions.

God has shown me these negative thought patterns in myself. I keep looking back like Lot's wife who turned to a pillar of salt after gazing on what she had left behind in Sodom and Gomorrah. This was not the salt of the earth that Jesus told us to be. Leaving the past behind and pressing forward to what lies ahead is very important as God makes all things new. We need to get rid of the old grave clothes, and but on the garments of praise that He offers us. I put my limitations on God when I think He will give me less than I desire, and I keep returning to past hurts in my mind and camping out there. Thankfully, the Lord is not limited by my limitations and often breaks through in my life in unexpected and pleasant ways, giving me more than I could ever imagine. I simply need to understand that God is willing to give me good gifts and joyfully accept them.

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.  The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.  I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.  I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.  For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.  You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalms 16:5-11 NASB

I am going to take the bread and fish that God serves me, and I will taste and see that He is good. Jesus is my Bread of Life, who multiplies loaves and fish. He doesn't want me to live less than who He says I am and to refuse the blessings He is offering me. When I walk in the blessings He gives me, He gets the glory.