Isaiah 61 : 1 - 3

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God; to comfort all who mourn; to place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, to give them oil of gladness instead of mourning, a glorious mantel instead of a faint spirit.

Meditation

Don't we all need favors this year after 2020 ! No one wants the year 2021 to be a repeat of 2020 ! Isaiah which means "Yahweh is My Salvation" tells us that God is present and does us favors even if we may feel that He is a million miles away. Everything that Isaiah proclaimed, from the birth to the resurrection of Christ, became true 800 years later as is written in the Gospels ! It's almost as if the pages were just copied word for word. The Book of Isaiah is the Gospel of the Old Testament. Luke tells us that Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth and stood up to read. He read the exact verses as above, and said : “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

We too, must believe that all of these gifts that Jesus promises is for each and everyone of us today in 2021! We don't need to beg God to do things for us. We only need to ask once. He knows exactly what each of us needs and when is the best time to do that favor. The definition of the word favor is "demonstrated delight." To have the Lord's favor means that the Lord has shown gracious kindness towards that person. When we think of someone who has the favor of God, we think of someone in whose life we see tangible evidence of God's approval. But that doesn't mean the person never suffers. Also, it isn't because your neighbor seems to have the perfect life that God favors them. It could be quite the opposite. 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29 : 11)

Just as we receive gifts, we must also give gifts to others. You may receive help from someone when you are feeling overwhelmed or a kind word when you feel that everything is falling apart or something more concrete like a new couch because someone is giving it away. God usually works through others to answer our prayers. But we too must be open to God's word to help others. Jesus tells His disciples about the day of judgement :

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' (Matthew 25 : 34 - 40)

Meet the Challenge

This is truly difficult ! Instead of focusing on all of the negativity around us, let us write down all of the positive aspects that can come out of the terrible situation we are in today. Here is an idea for your list : more time to pray, read the Bible and get closer God ! Now it's your turn to think of at least 5 things. A bigger challenge could be thinking about what you can do to be in God's favor instead of Him doing you a favor. 

Let's Pray

Father, I come to you humbly, knowing that you are God and that I am your beloved child. I thank you for all the blessings you have abundantly poured out on me. You are always good and you always do good to me. Even if I never received another blessing, I would have received so much more than I deserve.

And yet, your word tells me that I am to regularly ask for your blessings. Your word commands to lift up prayer for favor. To ask you, my good, gracious Father, to pour out your blessings on me.

So I come to you boldly and with confidence, knowing that you delight to bless me. You have promised that you will never stop doing good to me. You have promised that you won't withhold any good thing from me.

And so I ask you to pour out your favor on me. Bless me in ways I wouldn't even think to ask. I need you more than life itself. Would you please give me more of yourself. More of your love. More of your grace. I want to know you more, which is the greatest blessing of all.

I also ask that you would provide for all of my physical needs. You have promised that you would meet all my needs according to your glorious RICHES in Christ. I thank you that you are going to pour out your richest blessings on me. I trust you to bless me in overwhelming ways.

Thank you Lord for your glorious favor on my life. I thank you that you love to bless me and will bless me. I ask all these things in the name of Jesus, my only righteousness. In his name, Amen.

Let's Praise Him

Let us be assured that God will definitely make a way for each of us but only He knows when is best !