The words of Solomon as found in Proverbs 21:1, “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” (ESV)
All through this year we have studied the various aspects of the hand of God, as is made evident in our lives as His children. The above mentioned verse discloses the truth that the king’s heart is like a stream of water that is controlled by the hand of the Lord, and that He can maneuver it any way He wishes to.
This principle is applicable to everyone whom God has placed in authority over us. If there are those who are fearful of circumstances, unsure of their superiors, the word of God comes to assure us that all authority is kept under His perfect control. There is therefore no power on earth that is beyond the Lord’s command.
If the hand of the Lord is with us, we can be certain that we will find favor with God and with men. It is paramount then that we must primarily seek to find favor with God. It is only because the favor of God rests on us that we have a right to be called children of God, be part of His body the church, are able to worship Him, and listen to His word. But, in order to live our lives here on the earth, we require the favor of God, combined with the favor of men.
Favor can be defined as an act of kindness that is beyond what is due or usual. For instance when we go to a bank, if the cashier is a person who is known to us, and hence calls to us and accelerates our request, we can refer to this as a personal favor. However, if the bank manager were to come out of his room, and did the same so as to expedite our work, when we did not go to him, then we perceive that it is the favor of God shown to us through that man. When God shows favor on us we will find that this will be apparently displayed to us by the favors we receive from men in every area of our lives.
Jesus found favor with God and men
We read in Luke 2:52, Jesus grew in wisdom and maturity. He gained favor from God and people. (GW)
Just as Jesus grew day by day in favor with God and men, we too must yearn, and pray to God that every single day we live in His favor, and find favor with everyone we meet. If we do so we will most assuredly experience wonderful miracles in our lives.
The early church found favor with God and men
We read in Acts 2:47, “Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Webster)
The early church that Jesus established were also recipients of God’s favor which resulted in them finding favor with all people, and the Lord was adding to the church daily those who were being saved.
All of us need to have the assurance that we too have received favor from God. God is no longer angry with us, for the wrath of God was turned towards Jesus, when He took the punishment for our sins on the cross. When God looks at us, He beholds us as He would Jesus Himself, for on the cross Jesus took on Himself our sins, so that God the Father can now consider us righteous, just as He did Jesus. We were the sinners, unworthy, fit for judgement and punishment, but Jesus the righteous one, took our punishment on Himself, so that we could also be justified, and be declared righteous before God the Father. It is because of this justification that we are now qualified to find favor with God, and with men.
Abraham found favor with God and Abimelech
We read in Genesis 21:22, At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do. (ESV)
Also in Genesis 21:23, So make a vow here in the presence of God that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so promise that you will also be loyal to me and to this country in which you are living." (GNB)
It is recorded in Genesis 21:25 Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well which the servants of Abimelech had seized. (GNB)
Abraham was a nomad, but God was blessing him so much that Abimelech who was the king of the territory that Abraham resided in sought after him. Abimelech and Phicol the commander of the army recognized that God was with Abraham, and also testified to him that ‘God was with him in all he did.’
However, earlier Abimelech’s servants seized the well that Abraham had taken great pains to dig. In those days digging a well was an arduous task, but not realizing that God was with Abraham, and He was giving the increase, they thought they could put an end to his prospering by seizing the well he had dug. However, Abimelech recognized that God was with Abraham, and understood that he could not contend with God. He therefore made Abraham promise him that he would be loyal to him, his children, his descendants, and to the country in which he lived.
If the Lord is with us, those in authority will come seeking after us. If the Lord is with us, people around us must be able to identify that the hand of the Lord rests on our lives.
The people of this world may try to hinder those things that they think are making you increase, like Abimelech’s servants did to Abraham, but we do not need to worry for they themselves will soon realize that the blessings are because the favor of God rests on us, and not because of the resources we have. That is why the word of God exhorts us in Proverbs 16:7, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (ESV) It we have found favor with God and men, we can be sure that the ones who trouble us will one day come back to us seeking our favor.
Jacob finds favor with God and Laban
In Genesis 30:27, Laban replied, "Listen to me. I've learned from the signs I've seen that the LORD has blessed me because of you." (GW)
We also read in Genesis 30:28, So he offered, "Name your wages, and I'll pay them." (GW)
Genesis 30:27 is the conversation between Jacob and his father-in-law Laban. Jacob was in love with Laban’s younger daughter Rachel, and in order to receive her hand in marriage, he worked for Laban for seven years. However, at the end of those seven years Laban cheated Jacob by marrying off his elder daughter Leah to Jacob, and then forced Jacob to work for seven more years for Rachel. However, in the midst of all the hardships that Laban heaped on Jacob, the Lord was with him, and Laban could not hinder his increase. When Jacob decide to leave Laban with his wives and children to go back to his home, his father-in-law Laban in Genesis 30:27 openly acknowledged that the Lord was with Jacob, and therefore it was because of Jacob that he too was blessed. He actually pleaded with Jacob to stay back so that the blessing of the Lord would remain with him too.
When the favor of the Lord rests upon us, there may be those who will try to oppress or suppress us, but the Lord will overrule all of it. If there are those before whom we stood seeking favors, the Lord can turn the tables around, so that one day they will come seeking favors from us. Our lives should be such that our family, our neighbors and those we work with should testify like Laban did, that our being with them or being associated with them is a blessing to them as well. God is faithful to intervene, and change every difficult situation we may find ourselves in, for our own good and betterment, if we are willing to believe in Him completely.
Joseph found favor with God and Potiphar
We read in Genesis 39:3-4, “His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.” (ESV)
Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, and he landed in Potiphar’s house as a slave. As he worked in the house of Potiphar as a slave, Potiphar recognized that the Lord was with Joseph, and that everything Joseph aspired to do was successful. God’s presence was so evident in Joseph’s life, that a master who did not know the Lord, could perceive it.
Joseph therefore found favor in the eyes of Potiphar, who made him overseer of his house, and put him in charge of all that he had, though there may have been other Egyptian slaves who worked there as well. Joseph led a life that was totally pleasing to God which was the reason why the Lord was with Joseph all through. Joseph might have been initially slighted for the fact that he was a stranger, a Jew, but over time, in that very same place the master of the house held him in high esteem.
At our work place our testimony must be such that people recognize that the Lord is with us. If we like Joseph desire to be those who will please God in everything we do, and say the Lord will also be with us, just like He was with Joseph, and we will find favor with all men. There may be situations where like Joseph we are despised, but with the Lord on our side, we can be sure that the Lord will place us with honor, in that very place where we were disregarded earlier.
The Hebrews found favor with God and the Egyptians
We read in Exodus 3:21-22, And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians." (ESV)
When the Israelites left the land of Egypt, the Lord caused them to find favor in the sight of the Egyptians who gave to them silver and gold jewelry and clothing. This they were instructed to give to their children as well. For many years the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians and were not given their due wages. The Lord watched, and therefore in due time He restored it all back to the Israelites.
When the Lord blesses his children, this is passed on to their children, and their children’s children. If there are those who have labored for many years, and feel that you are still in want, you must trust the Lord, to restore all that you have lost.
David found favor with God and with King Saul
We read in 1 Samuel 16:22, And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight." (ESV)
Saul was the King of Israel, while David was just a shepherd boy tending his father’s sheep. But, Saul sent his men to David’s father Jesse, and requested that David be sent to him to remain in his service. Though David was just a shepherd boy, he found favor with the King.
If the Lord’s favor rests on us, those in authority will want to honor us. Also those who despised us will esteem us, and those who forgot us will be reminded to come back to us.
Nehemiah found favor from God and the king
We read in Nehemiah 2:8, I asked also for a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal forests, instructing him to supply me with timber for the gates of the fort that guards the Temple, for the city walls, and for the house I was to live in. The emperor gave me all I asked for, because God was with me. (GNT)
When Nehemiah wanted timber for the gates of the fort that guards the temple, for the city walls and for his house, the emperor gave all what he asked for, as Nehemiah himself testified that this was so because God was with him. The favor of the king rested on Nehemiah simply because the favor of God was upon him.
Daniel found favor with God and with the prince of the eunuchs
We read in Daniel 1:9, Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. (Webster)
When Daniel was taken a captive to Babylon he decided not to eat any of food that came from the king’s table as it was defiled, but chose to eat only vegetables. The Lord blessed Daniel, and he found favor with the prince of the eunuchs who agreed to the plan proposed by Daniel. The outcome was that the Lord made Daniel and his friends outshine everyone else, because the Lord favored Daniel, and attested his stand to not compromise.
We must go with prayer seeking the Lord’s favor, for only then are we assured of favor from all those around. Only then can we join the Psalmist in Psalm 91:7 to say, If a thousand fall at your side or ten thousand at your right hand, it will not overcome you.” (ISV) For those who feel they have never experienced the favor of God, be firm to believe that this is an established truth that if we children of God, the favor of God is assured us without a doubt. Everything you do the Lord will bless, be it our work, business or whatever else irrespective of what is happening all around for the Lord will enable you to find favor in the eyes of all men.
We read in Proverbs 3:3-4, Do not let grace and truth leave you -bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and esteem in the sight of God and of people. (CJB)
The secret to finding this favor from God, is that grace and truth of God must not depart from us for only then will we be guaranteed to find favor with God and men. If the favor of God rests on us we do not need to run after blessings, for the Lord himself will shower his favor and blessings on us. We can then say with David as in Psalms 23:6, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; (NKJV). The Lord is not pleased to make us those who are at the mercy of others, but to bless us so we can be channels of blessing to everyone around us. May we truly desire the favor of God, so that we will also be the beneficiaries of receiving the favor of men in every area of our lives.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
