One of the various definitions of the word “favor” that catches the eye is “to prefer someone or something to other things or other people, especially when there are several to choose from” (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, New York Times). Edition). Another definition says that favor is treating someone better than another person unfairly. Favor is placing someone as an advantage over other people. It means being chosen among equals. It gives you a place that you are not eligible for. It is what makes men seek to help you without knowing why. This understanding is necessary to put this speech in proper perspective.
Let’s begin by looking at the message of the Angel Gabriel to Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, ”…and entering, the angel of the Lord said to her: Rejoice, highly favored, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women… Then the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found grace before God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. This one will be great, and he will be called the son of the Most High, and the Lord will give him the throne of David his father ”(Luke 1: 26-32).
Mary was described as being “highly favored”, what is the implication of this statement? There were many virgins in Israel in the days of Mary, but to none was she sent but to Mary. Certainly she might not be the richest or the most influential, we can infer from the background of the report. Jesus can only be born of a virgin woman, even if there were millions of women who would qualify. Maria was preferred above all else, why? It was because she “she found favor with God.”
Let’s take one more example in the days of Jesus. “And it came to pass that, while the crowd was swirling around him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had moved away from them and were washing their nets. Then he gets on one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asks him to move a little from land. And he sat down and taught the crowd from the boat ”(Luke 5: 1-3). Take note, there were two boats, but Jesus sat in Peter’s boat to teach the people. Of course, at the end of this meeting we saw what followed.
There is no effort in life that does not require the concept of favour. If every event in a man’s life is allowed to take its natural course, life’s journey to destination can become frustrating. We live in a very competitive world. Sometimes we find ourselves before the saga of the survival of the fittest. It takes God’s divine favor to bring a man from darkness into the spotlight. It is the divine favor that puts food on a man’s table against all odds. Imagine Peter’s report, “we worked all night but we didn’t catch anything”. What is your report? The need that makes a man work burning midnight oil and “took nothing” is a life devoid of favour. Listen, one day God Divine favor will give you what a thousand days of work can’t give you. Favor takes you beyond the general level of God’s benevolence toward humanity.
By profession Peter was an expert, haven’t you seen how smart most people were? how hard they worked and yet nothing to show for it. Jesus said, ”others have plowed and you are entering into their work” (you are reaping the fruit of your labor). There is a place for diligence and dignity of labor. God forbid laziness and redundancy. But most importantly, there is a place for divine favor. You must seek to connect with him. Favor could equate to God linking you to the right source of ideas and information that will change your life forever.
There are three key factors that attract God’s divine favor. I would like to discuss each briefly.
Obedience: This is simply doing God’s will and obeying all His commandments. Any son who loves his parents should be an obedient son. I mean total obedience. The Bible says: “You have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, anointed you with the oil of joy more than your companions” (Heb 1:9 KJV). The oil of joy is what attracts divine favor. That oil doesn’t dry out. Wherever you go, you are the favorite. That is what caused Aaron’s rod to sprout; and that settles the controversy (Numbers 17:1-13). It was the same perception that singles out Daniel in the land of Babylon.
Sacrifice: Sacrifice is giving beyond your means. For every sacrifice you made there is a day of memory; “May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble, may the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary and strengthen you from Zion; May he remember all your offerings and accept your holocaust” Psalm (20:1-3). The “seed of faith”, offering, tithe, scoop, that you have been giving will speak on the day of God’s Divine Favor. The amount of Favor you receive is tied to the sacrifices you make in life. It’s like the law of ”sowing time and harvest time”. Sow a corn seed, for example, take good care of it, at harvest, what is the yield ratio? Obviously, the harvest of a man of sacrifice will exceed the normal or the natural order and open greater doors.
Prayer and Fasting: Anything we want from God, by divine order we must ask him. He said that he will not deny anything good to those who diligently seek him. We can take the example of Esther in the Bible. She lived at a time when the fate of her nation was under threat. A threat of complete annihilation, proof of divine purpose. She took God’s Divine Favor to move forward, otherwise the risk involved isn’t worth it. Look how she got it. “Then Esther told them to answer Mordecai: Go and gather all the Jews who are present in Susa and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night and day. My maidens and I will still fast. And so I will go to the King, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:15-16NKJV).
This proposed course of action in the absence of divine favor was suicidal, because no one, including the king’s wives, was allowed to see the king without being summoned; rape attracts the death penalty. But with the weapon of Prayer and Fasting let’s see the result: “And it came to pass that when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she found grace in his eyes, and the king handed Esther the golden scepter that was in his His hand. Then Esther reached out and touched the tip of the scepter. And the king said to her: What do you want, Queen Esther? What is her request? Half of the Kingdom will be given to you” (Esther 5:2-3NKJV). Can you see the power of fasting and prayer? King Ahasuerus was the most powerful king on earth in his day and in those days it was not easy to see the king. Imagine, a slave who becomes a queen, the first among her equals.