'Favor in the Eyes of the LORD'
They say the mood of the mother when she arises sets the household in order for the day. If Mom gets up in a good mood everything runs smoothly, however, if she is in a bad mood everyone is set for a rough day.
Bitterness, envy, strife can create an adverse effect on our lives. What we have in our heart is reflected in what we say, how we interpret what is being said, and how we view others. The beat of the attitude of our heart is the tune to which our life moves. Attitudes control our thoughts and what we do and they also have a definite impact on those around us.
It is what we have in our heart that makes the difference. When there is joy, love, peace, kindness, goodness, the attitude of our heart is reflected in everything we say and do. This is a gift that can only come from God through the Spirit of life. The breath of the Spirit of life from God causes us to move in the way which He desires us to live, in His favor.
Joseph was a young man about the age of seventeen who lived in Hebron with his father, Jacob, and eleven brothers. Jacob loved Joseph more than all the others because he was the son of his old age and he made him a coat of many colors. His brothers hated him and were unable to speak to him civilly because they knew that their father loved Joseph more than them all. Joseph dreamed dreams that caused his brothers to envy him even more because it viewed them in a condescending way to their younger brother.
While out feeding their flocks, Jacob sent Joseph to his brothers to see how they were doing. Being so far away from home they plotted against him to kill him and took his coat. His eldest brother Reuben, not desiring his brother to die, requested that they put him into a pit hoping to rescue him out of their hands. As they sat at dinner they spotted a caravan of Ishmaelites traveling to Egypt. Judah, one of the twelve, suggested that they sell him to the Ishmaelites because there was no profit in killing him. The next morning Reuben awoke to find his brother gone. They took his coat and covered it with goat's blood and told their father Jacob they could not find him. Jacob, believing he was killed by a wild animal, mourned his death.
Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold into slavery where he became the personal servant of Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh. The Lord was with Joseph and caused everything that he did to prosper. Because of this Joseph found favor in Potiphar eyes and he made him overseer over his house and all that he owned. Now Potiphar's wife looked upon Joseph with desire and tried to seduce him. Rejecting her advances and in fleeing, Joseph left his garment in her grasp. She became so enraged that she tore her own garment, called for the guards, and accused Joseph of making advances toward her. Potiphar had Joseph placed in prison where he remained for the next thirteen years.
While in prison the LORD extended kindness to Joseph and gave him favor in the eyes of the chief jailer. He gave Joseph charge over all the prisoners in the jail. Now the cupbearer and baker offended the king of Egypt so he had them put in prison. While there they both had a dream which they shared with Joseph. God gave Joseph the interpretation of these dreams and in three days they were fulfilled. The baker was beheaded and the cupbearer was restored to his position. Joseph asked the cupbearer to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf when he was released.
Two years later Pharaoh had a dream which no magician in Egypt was able to interpret and the cupbearer remembered Joseph. At the age of thirty, Joseph stood before Pharaoh and interpreted his dream. There would be seven years of plenty in all the land and after the seven years of plenty there would be seven years of famine. Joseph advised Pharaoh to place someone in charge of storing food during the seven years of plenty to have food for the seven years of famine. Pharaoh was so pleased that God gave Joseph wisdom to interpret his dream. He gave him charge over all his house, gave him a wife, made him second in command, and placed him in charge over the storehouses.
Nine years later when the famine had covered the face of the earth Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. When they approached their brother to buy food they did not recognize him but Joseph recognized them. He spoke harshly to them and accused them of being spies. He commanded that their brother Simeon be kept in prison until they returned with his younger brother Benjamin. When they returned home they found their money in the sacks of grain. They told their father Jacob all that was said and what had happened. Jacob refused to allow them to return to Egypt with Benjamin. When their food was gone he gave them permission to go back to Egypt with Benjamin. When they arrived Joseph wept when he saw his brother and prepared a great feast for them. They still did not recognize him. When they left, Joseph had his men put their money in their sacks of grain and his cup in Benjamin's bag. When they had just left the city Joseph commanded his steward to overtake them and bring them back. When they were taken back to Joseph's house they fell at his feet and begged for mercy. Joseph, unable to control himself, revealed to his brothers who he was. *Genesis 45:4-5, "... And he said, 'I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life'." Joseph had them return to Hebron where they gathered all their family, their household goods, and their flocks. They returned to Egypt with their father Jacob to live in the land of Goshen. Over twenty years later Jacob received his son Joseph back from the dead.
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Two-thousand years ago a man by the name of Jesus lived in a city called Nazareth. The Word that He preached to them made them so angry that they attempted to push Him from a cliff. His own brothers accused Him of being insane. The temple priests and Pharisees envied Him and saw Him as a threat. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. He was despised and rejected of men. He was betrayed by one of His closest friends and sold for the price of a slave. No guilt was found in Him yet they beat Him until He was unrecognizable and threw Him into a pit. They took His garment from Him and placed a crown of thorns on His head. They took Him outside of the city and crucified Him. From the cross on which He was crucified He forgave them all because He saw they had no understanding of what they were doing.
Three full days after His death He arose from the grave. He ascended into heaven where He has gone before us to prepare us a place that where He is there we may be also. God looked upon his sacrifice as a guilt offering for us all.
Because of Jesus' sacrifice God has extended His favor to us all, His grace. Grace that sets us free from the bondage of sin. Grace that gives us power to overcome sin. Grace that gives us freedom to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Grace that cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Grace that keeps us spotless and blameless in His sight. Grace, God's grace through the blood of Jesus Christ Who bore all our guilt and all our shame that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. To Him be all the glory, and the power, and dominion and authority both now and forever.
God's grace is free. All it takes is faith and trust in Him through our acceptance and obedience to His Word. All things are made new and the attitude of our heart is changed. We have received favor from God and it is reflected in everything that proceeds forth from our mouth and in everything that we do. We have a new song in our heart that is full of blessing and we become a blessing to everyone around us.
When our mind is set on the Lord we move to the tune of God's grace. Following in His footsteps knowing that He is in control of every facet of our life. Favor in the Eyes of the LORD through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
P History reveals that the course which mankind would follow began at the heads of the rivers which flowed from the garden of Eden. Man like the waters of the rivers, would traverse a course predestined by an unseen force drawing them unceasingly to a greater end than their humble beginnings. Abram was one of those men.
*Last Updated March 18, 2007