Often today people use the term ‘favour of God’ as a means to gain material, emotional, spiritual and other tangible blessings from God.
The dictionary defines favour as goodwill, held in esteem, act of kindness, good turn, in support of, give preference to, meet with approval, help, aid, assist, promote, benefit, receive a gift.
In the Bible what does the favour of the Lord represent?
Here’s a list of some people that the Bible specifically mentions that found favour with God:
- Noah – Genesis 6:8 (NLT) “But Noah found favour with the Lord.”
- Joseph – Genesis: 39. 21 (NIV) “The Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favour in the eyes of the prison warden.”
- Moses – Exodus 33:13 (NLT) “If it is true that you look favourably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favour. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”
- Samuel – 1 Samuel 2:26 (NIV) “And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favour with the Lord and with people.”
- Daniel – Daniel 1:9 (NIV) “Now God had caused the official to show favour and compassion to Daniel.”
- Mary, mother of Jesus – Luke 1:30 (NIV) “But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God.”
- Jesus – Luke 2:52 (NLT) “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and all the people.”
… then there was also Abraham, the Israelites, Gideon, David, Esther, Zacharias and Elizabeth.
The original words used in the Bible translated to favour in English are:
- “hên” (Noah, Moses) and “hin·nōw” (Joseph) both means graciousness.
- “le·he·sed” (Daniel) means kindness or piety.
- “wā·tō·wb” (Samuel) means pleasant, agreeable, good.
- “charin” from chairo (Mary) and “charity” from chairo (Jesus) means graciousness.
Thus, finding favour with God is related to receiving grace from God. These biblical recipients of God’s favour were shown exceptional goodwill, they were blessed beyond measure, and received grace upon grace because God was pleased with their faith, humility, and obedience (even in times of unpleasant circumstances).
Simply put, favour is grace.
Hebrews 4:16 (NLT) encourages us “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” “There we will receive His mercy” means God’s throne is a place with the nature or character to treat people better than they deserve. It also says, “and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” It is heartening that God’s grace is both the willingness of His divine heart to treat us better than we deserve and it is also the extension of that willingness into practical help.
When we are a child of God, how does His favour work?
The Lord’s favour works in two ways. First, there is God’s assuring presence, and secondly, there is His tangible blessings. Both are forms of God’s favour, and we need both.
The favour of God includes both the assuring presence of God and the tangible blessings we receive from Him.
The core of the favoured life we have in Christ is this, He is with us in everything, whether our situation is gloomy or promising. True favour isn’t found in the blessing itself; it’s found in the one who does the blessing, our loving heavenly Father. Seeking Him, not things, should be our heart’s desire.
According to Ezra 8:22b (NASB) “The hand of our God is favourably disposed to all who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who abandon Him.” Psalm 31:19 (NIV) tells us “How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.” God’s ultimate favour isn’t in a car, house or job. It’s His presence, and he doesn’t withhold His presence from any of His children. It is available to all of us in the same measure.
We have God’s presence and favour regardless of our circumstances.
It is important to remember that finding favour with God doesn’t give us a ticket to an easy life. Moses dealt with the complaining and fickle Israelites for 40 years. He saw the Promised Land, but he didn’t live there. Favoured by God, anointed to be king, David’s enemies, who had once been his friends, hounded him. Were the circumstances that Joseph or Daniel found themselves in pleasant? Without doubt, no. Nonetheless, we read of Jospeh in Genesis: 39. 21 (NIV) “The Lord was with him”.
Finding God’s favour
We cannot earn the favour of God.
Many Christians believe they somehow have to earn the favour of God, but the truth is, we already have His favour as His children. God saved us because He favoured us in Christ. In Ephesians 2:8 (NLT) we are reminded that “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” To be saved means more than just eternally saved from judgment of our sins. God’s favour covers every area of our lives. By His favour, He has taken care of everything we will ever need. Romans 8:32 (NIV) reassures “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
God’s favour provides every possible blessing He has to give. In faith we need to believe and receive all He has given.
God’s favour provides every possible blessing and goodness He has to give. Our part is faith – to believe and receive all He has given. Through grace God is saying, ‘Here is all the blessings I have for you’ and through faith we respond, ‘Thank you, I’ll take it.’
The Bible dedicates an entire chapter (Hebrews 11) to role models who pleased God. Why did they please God? Hebrews 11:2 (CEV) gives us the answer “It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God.” In fact, Hebrews 11:6 (CEV) says, “But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him.”
2 Peter 1:2 (NLT) “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.” How do we please God like the Bible heroes listed above? How do we receive more grace (favour), including blessings? By getting into God’s Word. Spending time in His presence. Humbling ourselves under the authority of His Word. Putting God’s Word into our heart and declaring it from our mouth. Joshua 1:7-8 (NLT) “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Believe God’s Word and act on it. Claim the promises of the Word saying in faith ‘Thank you, I’ll take it.’ Unclaimed blessings are like unopened gits, and are just sad!
When God’s favour doesn’t look like you expect
Do we sometimes muddle the favour of man with the favour of God?
In Luke 1:26-38 we read the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus. God send the angel Gabriel to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1 28-31 (NLT) Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favoured woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “For you have found favour with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. Luke 1: 34 (NLT) “Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
This pregnancy was unplanned by Mary. She was a young teenage woman with no sexual experience. She was engaged, to a man named Joseph. While the two had committed to each other, the formal wedding had not taken place. Do you realize that the favour of God on this girl made her to live with the stigma of promiscuity? Mary was given one of the most astounding promises ever. She was honoured above every other woman on the face of the planet. She is to be the earthly mother of the Saviour God. And this favour made its entrance, at least to the eyes of man, in the shape of shame.
In that day and culture such a pregnancy out of wedlock held lifelong consequences. Mary was on the verge of becoming a single, unwed mother condemned to a life of poverty and shame, or possibly even being stoned. First-century Israelite society was less forgiving than our modern cultures. Yet her situation can be summarized in two words ‘God’s favour’.
The challenge is for us to see God’s favour, provision and care, even when it looks different than we expect. And then to respond like Mary Luke 1:38 (NLT) “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
As children of God, we are forever in God’s favour
Psalm 5:12 (NIV) “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield.”
God has blessed us abundantly with His unlimited favour, but there’s more to God’s favour than earthly blessings. Yes, as a loving Heavenly Father He wants to bestow tangible blessings on us, but He also wants us to know His glorious presence in every realm of our life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your abundant grace. I acknowledge that all good things come from You. Help me to abide in and enjoy Your glorious presence. May Your favour, showered over me, be a testimony to Your goodness and grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
