Finding favor with the Lord

But Noah found favor with the LORD.

Genesis 6:8 (NLT)

Noah at that time did not find favor in the eyes of men, which is a double promise from the Lord to us. The double promise is double favor: from God and from men, like the favor Jesus grew in from an early age. But at that time, they hated and persecuted Noah because both by his life and preaching he condemned the world: but he found favor and grace in the eyes of the Lord, which is the most important thing. 

Noah found grace and favor in the eyes of the Lord. What an awful state of things that only one man or one family of piety and virtue existed now among the professed sons of God! Noah was not perfect, as since the fall of Adam no man has been free from sin except Jesus Christ. But as he was living by faith he was righteous (Ga 3:2; Heb 11:7), being sincere in his desire to do God’s will.  

This made him truly more honorable than the men of renown. Let this be our main desire, let us labor so that we may be accepted by Him. When the rest of the world was wicked, Noah kept his integrity. God’s goodwill towards Noah produced this good work in him. He was a righteous man, which means justified before God by faith. He was made holy and had right principles. He was not only honest, but devout. It was his constant focus to do the will of God. Like Enoch, he walked in close fellowship with God (Genesis 6:9).

God looks down with an eye of favor upon those who sincerely look up to Him with an eye of faith and who have a close fellowship with Him. It is easy to be religious when religion is in fashion or part of the culture. But it shows strong faith and resolution to swim against the tide, and to appear for God when no one else appears for Him. Noah did so. All kinds of sins were found among men. They corrupted God’s worship. Sin filled the earth with violence, and this fully justified God’s resolution  to destroy the world. The contagion spread. When wickedness becomes general, ruin is not far off.  But the good news is, there is a remnant of praying people like Noah in a nation, and God chose us to be among this righteous people for our generation and nation.

The word favor in Hebrew is “chen (H2580)” and can be translated into English as “favor” or “grace”. It’s translated “grace” 38 times in the Old Testament, proving that grace is not just a New Testament doctrine. But the fullness of grace came only by Christ (Jn. 1:17; 1Pet. 1:10-12). You can read Gen. 19:19; Ex. 33:12-17; 34:9; Ps. 84:11; Prov. 3:34; Jer. 31:2; Zech. 12:10.

The Hebrew expression “to find favor [in the eyes of]” is an idiom meaning “to be the object of another´s favorable disposition or action,”“to be a recipient of another’s favor, kindness, mercy.” The favor/kindness is often earned, coming in response to an action or condition (ref. Gen 32:5; 39:4; Deut 24:1; 1 Sam 25:8; Prov 3:4; Ruth 2:10). This is the case in Genesis 6:8, where verse 9 gives the grounds (Noah’s righteous character) for the divine favor.

With the help of the Holy Spirit we can become this recipient of God’s favor, grace, kindness and mercy. Walking by faith, having a close fellowship with God, living a holy life with Kingdom principles including integrity will attract God’s eyes upon us to release His favor without restrictions. The good news is, we can be trying our best, but only through Jesus-Christ in us we can today have, despite our mistakes and failures, a flow of HIS ABUNDANT FAVOR AND GRACE (John 1:17: For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.)

Prayer: God, my highest desire is to find favor and grace in Your eyes. I decide to live a holy life, walking in close fellowship with You. Thank You Jesus that You’ve paid the price so that today I may have access to the fullness of God’s grace and favor. By faith, I receive Your favor for my own life but also for my family, business, and finances. I declare I am a righteous man/woman and I have the favor of God flowing over me wherever I go and whatever I do. Thank You God for Your amazing favor.

Quote: God looks down with an eye of favor upon those who sincerely look up to Him with an eye of faith and have a close fellowship with Him.

Song: Favored – Planetshakers