I want God’s favor on my life as I know you do. However, my go-to response to gain God’s favor was to do all the things Christians are supposed to do. Have a quiet time, study my Bible, pray, help little old ladies across the street. These are wonderful ways to love God and others, but something simpler might just come first.
The key, I believe, is found in a few verses in Luke 1 regarding Mary, Jesus’ mother.
Luke 1:28 says:
“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
But what made Mary the one to receive this kind of honor and favor – to bear the Savior as her child?
The secret can be found in Luke 1:38:
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”
In Luke 1:46-48 Marys then says:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.”
Mary had a servant heart and was aware of her position compared to God. She was humble.
The other great verse that comes to mind on this point of finding God’s favor is found in Micah 6:8.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I am convinced that if I want to find God’s favor in my life, one of the keys is to walk humbly. Walking humbly is a sign of being a servant, submitted to His ways.
The story in Luke 18: 9-14 of the religious man and the humble tax collector praying is Jesus’ simple way of telling us what is valued more highly.
Humility is close to the word humiliate. Am I willing to risk being humiliated in front of others by obeying God and honoring and fearing (godly awe) Him above all? When I humbly surrender my will to His will, I demonstrate His lordship in my life. When I do this (and I struggle mightily with it!) then I believe God’s favor flows. Best of all, Jesus said He no longer calls us servants but friends.
The Promise
Luke 1:50 gives us the precious promise.
“And His mercy (his compassion and kindness towards the miserable and afflicted) is on them who fear Him with Godly reverence from generation to generation and age to age.”
Prayer
May the joy that comes from knowing that Christ come to save us from our sin, encourage us to be even humiliated in order to honor Him. May we be Your servant, may we risk humiliation for You, may we all seek to walk humbly, love mercy and act justly. Lord, we can’t do this in our own human power or will it to be so; on our own, we quickly revert to pride, a need for the recognition of others and a sick self-focus that honors me, not God. Lord, help me and help us in this area. In the name of Christ, Amen.
