April 15                                          Josh 10 - 12

DIVINE FAVOUR

MEMORISE: ‘For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous: with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.’ (Ps 5:12)
READ: Genesis 39:1-6

When God is with you, you will be highly favoured. Divine favour is a wonderful thing. In fact, as a child of God, you should ask every morning for God’s favour. ‘For thou, Lord, wilt less the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield’ (Ps 5:12).

When God was about to destroy the whole world, Nosh found grace in his sight in Genesis 6:8 and therefore he and his family were spared. With God’s favour when aplague is breaking forth in every household, it will skip yours for the next one. Remember the Israelites in Egypt? God’s favour singles you out from the crowd. Out of the many virgins in Israel, God’s favour rested on Mary and she was picked to conceive Jesus Christ – and through this she became forever special.

In God’s favour there is life (Ps 30:5). All those who amounted to something in Scriptures obtained grace and found favour with God. Joseph and Daniel were well-favoured. David, Abraham and a host of others became what they became because of favour. When Jesus was born, he increased in favour too. ‘And Jesus increased in wisdom and status, and in favour with God and man’ (Luke 2:52).

This means whatever level of favour you are presently enjoying with God, you can increase it. Also, it is possible to have favour both before God and man. But one should precede the other. ‘Many seek the ruler’s favour: but every man’s judgement cometh from the LORD’ (Prov 29:26). God is saying here that if you want man to favour you in any area of your life, first work on obtaining God’s favour. When you find favour before God, he will cause men to favour you. Beyond asking daily for favour, you can actually earn God’s favour through consistent good works. Proverbs 11:27 says: ‘He that diligently seeketh good procureth favours …’ Also: ‘A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord’ (Prov 12:2). So not all favours come by asking. The greater favours you need to get to your goal will come to you through hard work that glorifies your father in heaven. Provoke God’s favour today.

ACTION POINT
Ask the Lord to surround you with his favour;
to help you to increase in favour before God and man.