Favor

 

I was  recently struck by something about Mary's story in the Bible.  Have you ever thought about the irony between the angels statement about her and his proclamation to her? "The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.'" (Luke 1:30)  If God favors her so, then why is he causing a circumstance in her life that will bring hardship both now (illegitimate pregnancy) and in the future (Simeon predicted her own soul would be pierced because of Jesus. Luke 2:35)?  Shouldn't God's favor mean all goes well for us? What about Jesus?  He found favor with God and man and look what happened to him! 

 

At some point, I bought into the idea that favor meant ease and comfort, rather than the privilege of kingdom work.  Yet the truth of scripture clearly states otherwise. 

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:1-10,

"As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ² For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

³ We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴ Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷ in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸ through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹ known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

 ^16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:16-18
 

 May I find favor with God and man...Amen.