Seeking for God’s Favor

As Christians, we should always do our best to live for Jesus. People who don't know the Lord also seek to do their best. They do it, not to please God, but rather, to find favor in the eyes of their boss, their friends, their family, etc. People who fear God and keep His commandments should seek to find favor with Him, who loved us and gave Himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.

When we do find favor with God, not only will we be blessed above most other Christians, we will also find favor with the boss, with our friends and family, and with virtually everyone that can be favorable towards us.

How do we find favor with God?

We know that only through Jesus Christ can we even attempt to start to make headway in a favorable direction. In any quest, it is vital that we have knowledge of where to start. Let's see what the Bible says about finding favor with God.

A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. Proverbs 12:2

A person must be good to obtain favor with God. How do we go about being good? How good do we have to be? Let's look further into God's Word for the answer.

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:1-4

This passage tells us several things we must do. First, we have to remember God's law and keep His commandments. Then we have to be merciful to others; we must also speak the truth and be honest.

Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Proverbs 8:32-36

We must listen to what the Lord tells us in His Word and seek God.

For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

We must be righteous. What does that mean? It means doing the right thing, no matter what.

Examples

Here are a few examples of people in the Bible who found favor with God. We can look at their stories, and follow their example, so we can find favor, too.

King David:

Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. Acts 7:44-46

The prophet Samuel:

And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men. I Samuel 2:26

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness… Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. I Samuel 12:3-5, 23-24

Samuel found favor both as a child and as a grown man.

Mary, the mother of Jesus:

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. Luke 1:28-30

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. Luke 1:45-55

Why was Mary favored? Because she was faithful, she had a humble spirit, and she feared God, i.e., she feared what God can and will do to those who disobey Him.

Blessings

Here are some of the ways God blesses those who find His favor.

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. Proverbs 18:22

Are you looking for a good wife or husband? Find favor with God!

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. Psalm 128:1-4

The absolute greatest of all blessings will be our admittance to Heaven!

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:1-5

A Warning

And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me: Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour. Jeremiah 16:10-13

We must listen to God and do His will. If we go about life walking in our own way, not God's way, He will reject us and we will not have His favor.

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Revelation 21:27

Despite popular opinion, if we live in sin everyday and die in that condition, we cannot make it to that blessed home, which is Heaven.

If we harden our hearts and walk in our own imaginations, not doing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's will, it will be impossible to find favor with God. May the Lord our Savior and God the Father help us to do His will and find favor, in Jesus' name, Amen.