Devotional: Favor with God

Favor with God

It seems we always gravitate towards the Christmas story in our preaching and teaching during holiday seasons, but I have found great revelation in the passage of Jesus' birth at random times because it is God's powerful Word. For example:

"Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God 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. And having come in, the angel said to her, 'Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!' But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God'" (Luke 1 26-30).

None of us would argue with the fact that Mary must have indeed been a very special lady. And this is the message the angel was attempting to communicate to her. She had found favor with God. This word favor is translated in other places in the Word of God as acceptable, kindness, great respect, to be loved by another, or to be pleased with. We see this same word spoken over Daniel, Jesus, Esther, Ruth, David and many others...And rightly so. From our perspective and vantage point, they all did great things for God and therefore were deserving of His favor.

In the dictionary, you will find favor to mean:

something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice; a kindly act
the state of being approved or held in regard
excessive kindness or unfair partiality; preferential treatment
a gift bestowed as a token of goodwill, kind regard, love, etc.

Yes, without a doubt, Mary must have been a very special lady... but she couldn't have been without sin because Romans 3:23 states, "...all people have sinned, they have all fallen short of God's glory." And Hebrews 4:15 says, "We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but He (alone) didn't sin." So as lovely and pure as Mary was, she couldn't have been without sin because only our Savior accomplished that.

So the very special word I have for you today comes from Ephesians 6:24, which says, "His favor is with everyone who has an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ." Favor means acceptance: "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6). Favor means great respect and kindness: "When God our Savior made His kindness and love for humanity appear, He saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain His approval. Instead, because of His mercy He saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal" (Titus 3:4-5). Favor means to be loved: "But God is rich in mercy because of His great love for us. We were dead because of our failures, but He made us alive together with Christ. (It is God's kindness that saved you.) God has brought us back to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with Him" (Ephesians 2:4-6).

Just as God looked upon Mary favorably, He looks upon you and I the same way. "But Mary was virgin. She didn't have the past I had...," you may say. Virginity is more than just an unmarried, untouched woman, it is a state of purity; a state of holiness. And God's Word says, "But you have been washed and made holy, and you have received God's approval in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11), so I want you to know that regardless of your past, you were made pure and holy and righteous in His sight the moment you confessed and believed upon Jesus Christ as your Savior.

I also want to say to you today: Don't be afraid (overwhelmed, worried, fearful, or condemned)... You have found favor (acceptance and great respect) with God. He is pleased with you and you are loved by Him.

May you believe this word and take it for yourself. For His Word is His love letter to you. And God is not a man that He should lie.