Walking In The Favor of God
How do you know if you are walking in the favor of God?
Genesis 6:5-8 says - “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and He saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry He had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke His heart. And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” But Noah found favor with the Lord.”
When my kids were little, I used to have them watch the funniest Christian videos to teach them Bible stories. One of them was Psalty the Singing Psalm Book.
I know, I know...if you remember it at all, it was a guy dressed up in a big, blue costume of a book with his face painted blue and wore a wig. It was weird.
But let me tell you, Psalty always sang scripture to some catchy tunes! I still remember them to this day!
One of the videos taught the kids about Noah, the flood, God’s promise of the rainbow and of course, that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Whenever my husband and I are out and about in the city, I look around at the crowds of people. I can’t imagine God choosing one man and his family out of the many. Sometimes, I hum that little Psalty tune to myself and thank Him for finding favor in His eyes.
But what exactly IS “the favor of God?” And how do we know we are walking in it? Well, Dr. Charles Stanley described it in his series on favor as specifically, God’s approval, acceptance, support, provision, His divine energy and joy.
That encompasses a lot, doesn’t it?
When we look at Noah’s example of having found favor in God’s eyes, there are three lessons his life teaches us.
1. God noticed Noah in a world full of evil, then He spoke to Noah and Noah listened.
It says that God observed the world and found men to be corrupt and violent. He told Noah His plans. In order for Noah to hear God, he had to have known God unlike any other human being alive. God chose him and his family and established His covenant with him.
It leads me to believe that Noah was in position to listen.
My posture, at times, while in prayer has led me to my knees and face bowed before God. I wonder if that is how Noah heard. Was he already a man of prayer and intimately acquainted with Him?
2. Noah trusted God.
It says that Noah took God at His word. When God told him he would be destroying all flesh under heaven and everything that is on the earth would die, He also told Noah that He would save him, his family and two of every animal.
How many of us would second guess ourselves that we were not truly hearing the voice of God upon hearing such a thing! Noah trusted and believed God at His word.
3. Lastly, Noah obeyed God.
In verse 22, it says, “Thus Noah did, according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”
It’s important to understand that all the time Noah built the ark according to God’s specific directions, he had to endure years of thinking of his neighbors and how they would not be spared. Did he have relationships with them? Did they mock him for doing such a crazy thing?
Regardless, it says that he built it anyway. He believed God would save him even with no real proof of it. Just God’s word.
So, if you are wondering if you have God’s favor on your life, check these three things and ask yourself: Am I hearing God, trusting Him and obeying when He instructs me in His ways? If so, you are in good position, my friend.
I’m glad that in the end, God promised that He would never again flood the earth and destroy it and gave the rainbow as that sign of His promise. We all have favor bestowed upon each of us in that promise. Grateful for His unmerited favor: His grace.
