Genesis 6:7-8
“So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”
INSIGHT
-Favor in Hebrew is written as chanan and is closely related to grace. Finding favor means gaining approval, pardon, blessings, goodwill, benevolence, kindness, charity and graciousness. There are several verses relating to favor which include:- those whose walk is blameless, like Noah and Moses find favor (Gen 6:8, Exo 33:12-13), God blesses the righteous and surrounds them with His favor (Ps 5:12), God grants favor to those who keep His commandments through love and faithfulness (Pro 3:2-6), Joseph enjoyed Gods’ favor (Deu 33:16), Mary found favor before God (Lk 1:30), Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and found favor before God and men (Lk 2:52), Samuel also obtained favor (1 Sam 2:26), other times the Lord withheld His compassion and brought judgment on His people (Isa 27:11), Isaiah mentioned the year of the Lords’ favor (Isa 49:8), Ruth found favor in the eyes of Boaz (Ruth 2:2-13), Jesus came to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Lk 4:18-19).
-By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen; moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith (Heb 11:7). God is a righteous judge and calls us to have faith in Christ so that we may be clothed with His righteousness. We read that Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation and walked with God. Jesus cautions us that as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not know; until the flood came and took them all away. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left, two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left. Jesus tells us to watch for we do not know the hour when He is coming back (Mat 24:37-42). Like the flood which swept away those who were not ready to walk with God, the day of the Lord is coming soon. Jesus calls us to repentance, forgive all those who offend us, hold fast our faith in Him and dwell in His presence where there is fullness of favor.
PRAYER
Lord You are good & Your mercies endures forever. We thank You for the gift of life and the grace to see this beautiful day, receive our praises Lord. Heal all those who are sick and suffering merciful Father, settle the hearts of those who have lost their loved ones, provide for those who are dying of hunger & starvation, be merciful to all those who don’t know You Jesus and grant them Your salvation. Take charge of our lives gracious Father, forgive us our trespasses and remove from us all those things that are not pleasing to Your sight Lord. Grant us favor Jesus that we may always walk with You like Noah did; until You come again. Amen
Ruth 2:10-13
“So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”
INSIGHT
-Ruth was a virtuous woman who showed devotion and cared for her mother in law Naomi. Her Moabite background did not deter her from pursuing her destiny and thirst for the God of Israel; saying where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay, your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God. Ruth was not only devoted to Naomi but also to Boaz through submission, to the Israelites through kindness and love & to God through prayer, humility and service. Even though Ruth was a foreigner, poor and a widow, she displayed wisdom through virtuousness; praying for favor before Boaz; who granted her requests (Ruth 3:11). Though Ruth underwent many challenges and afflictions; she was determined and devoted; God rewarded her by giving her Boaz as a husband, who became her kinsman-redeemer; perpetuating her from the dead through inheritance (Ruth 4:10). Ruth received abundant blessings, she bore a son Obed, became the great grand mother of David and was aligned to the lineage of Jesus. In spite of the challenges that we go through; God can change any adverse situation into a favorable one; through His loving kindness which extends to the heavens and through His saving arm. Christ will set us free from all tribulations through the redemptive power of His precious blood and His everlasting love, and calls us to believe in Him.
PRAYER
We thank You Lord for You have always been faithful, true, just and gracious to us. Through Your redemptive power Jesus; grant us Your favor and grace & answer all our requests according to Your merciful love, according to Your divine will. Nothing is too hard for You Christ our Savior; heal all our physical, emotional, relational, financial, psychological, social and economic wounds according to Your grace. Lord You are good and Your mercies endures forever. All glory, honor, power, riches, blessings, strength and praise belongs to You Lord; now and forever. Amen
Proverbs 3:1-7
“My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.”
INSIGHT
-The scripture provides fatherly advice on how to gain favor and high esteem before God and men. This can be achieved by the marination of mercy and truth with the love of Christ. It is a synthesis which originates from Christ who is the way, the truth and the life; for He showed us mercy through His sacrifice on the cross for the sake of all mankind, and continues to direct our paths. By taking heed to Gods’ commandments we find long life and peace; for sin brings about death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Him. We know that we have been created in the image and likeness of God; though no one is perfect. God forms and moulds us daily through His word so that we may follow His instructions and become Christ-like. For this reason; He gave us these commandments and calls us to rely on His wisdom and not our own through faith in Him. We are also called to acknowledge God our Creator in all things for He is the author of all things and knows our end from the beginning. Through Christs’ righteousness we are drawn closer to God as He draws near us. We are therefore called to depart from evil and fear God always by uphold His love; for this is the whole duty of man.
PRAYER
We thank You Lord our Father for this far that You have brought us. Your love Jehovah satisfies our souls; we bless Your name. Grant us wisdom and love Father that we may fear You always and take heed to Your word. May Your mercy and truth dwell in our hearts, that we may gain favor before You Lord and before men; forever. Be with our families, friends, leaders and the whole nation; and enable us to follow Your instructions; so that peace and prosperity may dwell in our land. It is good to give thanks to You Lord, to sing praises to Your name O Most High, to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness every night, we praise Your name Jesus; forever and ever. Amen
James 4:6-10
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
INSIGHT
-Favor and grace have been used in the same scripture to describe Gods’ divine purposes for us. Humility comes before honor. God grants us undeserving favor as we humble ourselves before Him and He lifts us up. Christ has freely given us the gift of salvation that we are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to God. We are called to flee from the devil and he will flee from us, to draw nearer to God and He will draw nearer to us; and show us His merciful love. To be reunited with Him through humility and repentance for Gods’ Grace is sufficient for us all. Let us not loose hope; as we wait upon the Lord despite our shortcomings; for He will lift us up and show us His salvation through His great love for us.
PRAYER
Our Father who at in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory; forever and ever. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
INSIGHT
-Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus increased in wisdom, stature and favor with God and men from a young age (Lk 2:52); perfect in humanity through every stage of life and complete in His Divine nature. After He was tempted, He went to the synagogue in Nazareth where He revealed His mission to the hearers; to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom to the prisoners, give sight to the blind, set free the down trodden and proclaim the year of the Lords favor. Through His mission we see an image of the year of Jubilee when all the slaves were set free, debts cancelled and many obtained favor. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection on the third day, He set us free from the bondage of sins and took the keys of death and hades so that we may forever rely on His salvation and be delivered from all our sins, bondage’s, fears and burdens. Receive sight through the light of the gospel, obtain the gift of salvation that yields everlasting life through faith in Him and receive undeserving favor before God and men as His children according to His will.
SUMMARY
Favor in the Bible is closely related to grace. Often times these concepts have been mis-interpreted causing disillusionment among many Christians; some of whom abandon the faith. The word of God sometimes makes His hearers uncomfortable especially when His word confronts ones fleshly desires but when we submit to Him, His favor is revealed in our lives. According to the scriptural truths, favor essentially results from observing the will of the Father. We know that God is Sovereign and pours His blessings upon those He wills and shows mercy on whom He desires to show mercy (Rom 9:18). Ruth was a virtuous woman and she obtained favor, Noah was a just man and he obtained favor, Mary the mother of Jesus was pure and obtain favor before God, Jesus the Son of God is the author of righteousness and obtained favor before men and God, and continues to show us mercy and favor according to His will. It is not in vain that these scriptures have systematically outlined this theme of favor; though it is important to hear and do according to Gods’ will. Jesus tells us “Listen to me my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death” Proverbs 8:32-36. In our relationship with God and men love is the key to unlock favor. Jesus teaches us that the fruit of love is the greatest and He grants us long life, honor, riches, blessings, enables us operate under an open heaven where all doors remain open as we obtain favor before God and man, and in the end of time; we will inherit eternal life through faith in Him.
PRAYER
We thank You Father for Your mercy and grace upon our lives, receive praises from our hearts. Thank You Jesus for the gift of salvation that You have given us through Your blood on the cross, have mercy on us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Grant us Your favor merciful Father and set us free from all our physical, financial, emotional, relational, social, economic and administrative burdens that we face in our lives, family units and nation. Fill us with Your gifts and fruit Holy Spirit that we may obtain a heart of wisdom. Hear all our prayers Jesus and fulfill our hearts desires according to Your merciful love. All these we pray believing and trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen