Scripture indicates that we need to ask for favor. I sought your favor with my whole heart. (Psalms 119:58 WEB) This verse suggests that we need to seek the Lord with all of our heart in order to receive His favor. O.K. I can do this. What about you? We all desire favor, don’t we? If we don’t ask, how can we receive?
Scripture instructs us to emulate Jesus. So, I decided to ponder a verse in (Luke 2:52 WEB).
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (underlined for emphasis)
Jesus was in the temple doing His heavenly Father’s work. (see Luke 2:49) Why did Jesus need to increase in wisdom, since He is a deity who has eternally (always) existed, and is the son of the living God? Part of my answer is in the following verse:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name.
(Philippians 2:6-9 KJV)
The phrase of no reputation (underlined for emphasis) means to empty oneself. He was fully God and fully man, but He made a choice to lay aside His divine attributes. As God, He is perfect and complete, but as a human being, Jesus had to increase in wisdom, stature, and in favor.
This is our challenge, that is, to grow in wisdom! I believe His wisdom increased, as He was obedient to God’s will and plan for His life while He was on earth.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying,
O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
(Matthew 26:39 KJV)
The key is that He did the Father’s will. He asked if there was another way. He realized that there was no other way except to be separated from God and take upon Himself all of our sins and die on the cross shedding His blood for us. He paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross for you and me. He suffered in silence and paid the debt we all owe for our sin. Through this act by Jesus, Father God was exalted and glorified. Jesus chose God’s will and continued to grow in favor.
Let’s consider the prophet Samuel. His mother had promised God she would raise her future son Samuel to serve the Lord. In 1 Samuel 3:1 we see the fulfillment of this promise.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli.(KJV)
And Samuel became older, and the Lord was with him
and let not one of his words be without effect. (1 Samuel 3:19 BBE)
The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor with both the LORD and also with men. (1 Samuel 2:26 WEB)
My desire is to choose the path to gain favor through the leading of the Holy Spirit, in obedience to God’s will. The answer of how to obtain favor is in God’s Word. I need God’s wisdom found in Scripture, in order to be molded, to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Let’s search the Bible together.