The above was the theme of our recently concluded church camp at Holiday Villa, Subang M'sia. We were blessed to have Rev Raymond Mooi to teach us God's Word over the 4 days of camp. In addition, he shared with us faith-building stories that lifted up our spirits; that we should continue to lean and trust God even during times when things don't seem to go right. God is never too late in delivering what He has promised, He's always on time. We, on the other hand, are often too impatient to wait on God, resulting in problems which we cannot extricate. Abraham, at the urging of Sarah, brought forth Ishmael, which was not the one whom God had promised Abraham (Gen 16). Likewise, King Saul because of his impatience offered sacrifices which he shouldn't have as he was not a priest (1 Sam 13).
During camp, I shared a morning devotion on the Favour of God. We all like to be shown favour - assistance, goodwill, preferential treatment, promotion - and especially God's favour because it opens up to the favour of men. There are five characteristics of God's favour or grace, which I would like to share in brief over here:
Grow: reading Luke 2:52, we see that favour can increase in one's life, just as we can grow physically (stature), intellectually (wisdom) and socially (favour with men). In each of these, effort is required; so to grow spiritually and experience God's favour we have to put in effort to follow and obey God. In camp, we were encouraged to truly worship God in spirit and in truth, as that is one of the ways God's presence/favour can be seen and felt in our lives.
Righteous: reading Ps 5:12, the righteous man is blessed with favour as a shield. In the OT, righteousness has to do with the keeping of the Law and being blameless before God. That was indeed a hard act to follow. But praise God, those of us who put our faith in Christ, we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! (2 Cor 5:21). Shield speaks of protection. Know then, whether as an individual or as a church, God has been protecting us with His favour.
Assistance: reading Gen 39:21-22, Joseph experienced the favour of the jailer because God was with him. The favour of God prevented Joseph from being killed by his brothers; God's favour also elevated him in prison and later in the palace. I want you to note that God's favour will shine through for us despite the difficulties in life we may face from time to time.
Current: reading Luke 4:19, we see that we are living under the grace/favour of God. Jesus did not continue reading from the book of Isaiah regarding the vengence of God. There'll come a day when we would not experience God's grace anymore, only His wrath. So we are encouraged to seek the Lord while He may be found and to call upon Him while He is near (Is 55:6).
Entreat: reading 2 Kg 13:4; Ps 119:58, we can entreat God's favour over our lives daily. Though King Jehoahaz did not follow God fully, when he sought the Lord's favour, God answered him. What more about us who are His righteous children through the blood of the Lamb! If you have not done so, learn how to declare God's favour over your lives daily. A good verse to pray through is Luke 2:52; that God would cause you to grow in wisdom, stature and in favour with God and men.
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