Finding Favor

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8)

Genesis 6:8 is the first mention of grace in the Bible. It says, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Now, when people discuss grace, they often call it “unmerited favor.” However, Noah's favor was very merited. Scripture tells us several specific things that Noah did to walk in the favor of God. What did Noah do to earn favor with God?

According to Genesis 6:9, Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and he walked with God. Notice that Noah's actions played a crucial role in the manifestation of grace upon him. We also see in the subsequent chapters that Noah did all the Lord commanded him to do. He obeyed God's instructions to the letter and did exactly as God asked him. That is why he continued to enjoy God's favor, even in a world full of chaos and destruction.

So, what can we learn from this? We see that favor is not always unmerited. Favor can come from living a righteous and obedient life. As we seek to walk with God and obey His commands, we position ourselves to receive favor from Him.

Let’s be like Noah and walk in righteousness and obedience to God. As we do, we can expect to receive favor from Him. Don’t take favor for granted, instead be thankful for it and use God’s favor to benefit others.

Practical Application

Actively listen for the voice of God throughout your day as you make small and big decisions. When you operate with a sensitive heart and an obedient life, you will be positioned to walk in favor in everything we do!

Luke 1:30; Psalm 84:11