Finding Favor with God
"But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.'" -Luke 1:30
What does it mean to be favored by God? How do we find favor (preference) with Him? In order to birth God's plans, we need to be people He can trust. Does God pick and choose His favorites to birth His plans on the earth? He is not a respecter of persons, but each of us is uniquely called to an assignment custom-tailored for us.
The Bible says when we seek God with all of our hearts we will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29) It also says David was a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). When we incline our heart to God and seek after Him in righteousness and truth, God sees that He can entrust us with more. We may think that God calls and chooses His "favored." But the fact is we can choose to be favored!
Mary, the mother of Jesus, found favor with God. But it was because of her worship and her attitude that God chose her. "The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'" -Luke 1:28
The first sign of God's favor is His presence. It is God's favor and presence on our lives that makes us more attractive to others, helping us to fulfill His assignments, and validating His will for us.
The angel tells Mary the plan. She responds in obedience. "'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.'" Can you imagine how she must have felt? According to ancient history, Mary is said to be between 12 and 18 years old. She must have been terrified - but she responded in obedience and faith! She had a righteous, positive and God-honoring attitude. We know the nature of Mary's character because of the way she responds to God's assignment:
She glorifies and praises God
She realizes how God has blessed her
She reminds God of His character
She remembers His promises (Luke 1:45-55)
Do you have the favor of God on your life? Have you responded positively to an assignment He has given you? May we all respond in obedience and faith as we receive God's plan and favor on our lives in order to birth God-given dreams.
Related resource: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
