The minister yesterday was stressing that the righteous have favor with God. “You even have favor when you are not feeling particularly blessed,” he emphasized. He cited Joseph’s troubles: Joseph was blessed to be his father’s favorite, but in his brother’s rejection of him, he was sold into slavery. Yet Joseph had favor with Potiphar. Even after he had been falsely accused and cast into prison, he had favor with the keeper of the prison. Then he languished in prison waiting for the butler, whose dream Joseph rightly interpreted, to remember him to Pharoah. Finally that happened, and circumstances led to Joseph being second in command in all of Egypt.
The Bible is full of promises to the righteous. We may have down days when we don’t feel blessed, but truth be told, we still have the favor of God. Psalms 1:3, speaking of the righteous, says, “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.” Have you ever had something turn out right, when you had little hope that it would? Many times I have toiled over a meal, worrying about its outcome, and yet things seemed to right themselves, with everyone enjoying the food and complimenting the cook! That was God’s favor.
When I look back, I know it was God’s favor that granted me my husband, and later my family. It was his favor that none of the children went astray and are strong Christians today. When Howard went into the ministry mid-career, we still had three of our six children at home to educate on a minister’s salary. One by one we watched as God provided for them.
Trevor just happened to walk into his school’s financial aid office and noticed they were having trouble with a computer program. He knew the program, offered help, was hired, eventually becoming Financial Aid Director, which led to his career with the Department of Education. God’s favor.
Our daughter, Amy, was enrolled in a state college, and we were about to incur considerable education costs, when she fell in love that summer, married that winter, and went to nursing school nearby, most of which was covered by her scholarships. Again, God’s favor.
The youngest, Benjamin, was awarded the prestigious National Merit Scholarship, paying all costs and even letting him study abroad his junior year. And it was God’s favor that kept him that year in France, granting him favor with the people (they thought he was French), a part-time teaching job, safety in travel and sustaining him in a serious bout of illness and many bouts of homesickness.
Look for God’s favor in your life. You are sure to see it if you just acknowledge it.
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