September 6, 2005
-
God’s Favor
The other day I started thinking about God’s favor again and how desperately I want it. [God's favor is something I fuzzily define as when we are able to pray in His will and see answers to our requests, when we are continually receiving blessings and gifts, when it seems like God has really annointed us - so much so that whatever we say produces fruit in others; people are blessed by us, our lives enrich others' lives, etc.] So I wrestled with my desire for His favor and the question of how to get it. And then I remembered that all of this was dejavu. My thoughts about God’s favor, written Jun 30, 2005:
About “Lordship” – I was thinking the other day about why certain people may not hold on tightly to God and why others may abandon the faith and why some may not have God’s favor. I really think it has to do with John 1:12. Are we really receiving Him for who He is? That’s my question. To “receive” is to take ownership of something given. To receive Jesus means to receive His Lordship in your life. You have to own this truth that He is Lord! You have to own the fact that He owns you. Once you submit to this, once you give Him full mastery, then your life will change, then you will really be able to taste God and know God, then you will experience His favor on your life. I really believe this. I really believe that most of us (with me at the top of the heap) are still holding onto something we shouldn’t. We really have not given it all over to Him and therefore we are not experiencing the depth of intimacy, the extent of His power nor the dynamic transformation and victory of knowing Him.
Lordship = giving everything to God, holding nothing back – especially that which we treasure most. Then God is really Lord. To give everything to Him and not hold onto anything really demonstrates trust in Him. It is saying, “Lord, I’m not gonna hold on tight to this for dear life as if you would not do everything in your power to give me the best. My holding on tight only shows you that I think I’ve gotta go into ‘survival of the fittest’ mode – that I need to fight to get the best – rather than trusting that You will give me the best. I don’t need to fight for it. I can trust you for it.” To give everything to Him including what we treasure shows also that we love Him best. It is saying, “Lord, I love this thing but I love you best!” To trust God above all others and love Him above all really does equal Lordship. This is when He really owns you. And it’s only after this point that you will really know God and be blessed by God to the extent that He truly desires.
This takes me back to Gen 22:12, 16-18. God chooses to bless Abraham because he really feared the Lord – he did not withhold his son from the Lord – though his son was his greatest treasure. Why is this so? It’s because actually his son was not his greatest treasure. God was. The only time anyone is ever able to give something up wonderful is when they believe there is something more wonderful in return. Abraham chose God because he knew that God was better and best – better than anything in the world and in fact, was the very best thing. He knew that good gifts come from God and that God’s heart’s desire is to give the best gifts. Lordship is to love and treasure God the best.
And if I want God’s favor, I’ve gotta give Him Lordship in my life. I’ve gotta give Him my whole heart. And that’s it. That’s the answer. Having God’s favor is the best thing to have in the world! I really want it. I really do.
Comments (2)
wow. thank you
You make some really good points. Though there really in nothing you can do to get His favor. You are already favored and when you accept His SON then you are accepted. All our righteousness is as filthy rags. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteosness and all these things will be added unto you.” Seek Him first, and you will always be blessed. Yes, we should fear (reverence) Him and seek to please Him but never think we are out of His favor. The fact that we breathe is a favor from God. He rains on the just and the unjust….that alone says we can’t earn anything. This has always been trouble in my life. I want to do all I can to get His favor and I forget that I already have it. All I need to do is sit back and obey what He tells me to do i.e. love Him with all my heart, mind, and strength and love my brother as myself….If we do these two things how can we go wrong?? You are so precious! I am thankful to have found your blog. Your countenous has been lifted by the Lord…NEVER lose it!