The Favour of God

 “God is good, all the time and all the time, God is good”.

This “call and response” affirmation of faith is quite common and I’ve heard it through song, movies and by Christian speakers.

The person proclaims “God is Good" and the recipient replies “All the time". Then, after a pause, the recipient says back to the person “All the time" and the person says “God is good!”.

Seeing and hearing it in action is quite a powerful thing.

On our best days, those days where we’re feeling the sun warming our face, when our heart is bursting with joy and the encompassing love of God surrounds us this affirmation is exceedingly easy to say, understand and even live by.

On our worst days it is a pull on our heart and a lump in our throat.

In the last post I wrote about having a better relationship with God.

I spoke on the premise that God doesn’t move but sometimes He goes quiet.

It’s a hard truth; sometimes, when you really need Him, there is an absence of feeling, love and, what we desperately need, response.

Today I was reading from Genesis chapter 4.

It is a story that I have heard and read so many times. Cain was born to Adam and Eve. Following Cain a younger brother, Abel is born. Cain and Abel both work; one with vegetation and the other with Livestock. They both offer God a sacrifice and Cain’s jealousy overwhelms him and he subsequently kills his brother.

We’ve all heard that story in one form or another.

However, on todays reading something stood out to me.

“Abel became a shepherd of the flock, but Cain became a cultivator of the ground. After some time, Cain brought some fruits of the land as an offering to God. But Abel brought some firstlings of his flock, including their fat. While God looked with favour on Abel and on his offering,  he did not look with any favour on Cain and on his offering. So Cain grew hot with anger and was dejected.  Then God said to Cain: “Why are you so angry and dejected?  If you turn to doing good, will you not be restored to favour? But if you do not turn to doing good, sin is crouching at the door, and its craving is to dominate you; but will you get the mastery over it?” Genesis 4:2-7

Those words in bold really jumped out at me.

Cain didn’t do anything wrong to start. He and his brother both create an offering to God.

We can understand that God knew Cain’s heart. He knew how emotionally reactive Cain could and would be. There is some arguments over the gifts themselves. Abel gave the FIRST of his flock where Cain gave any gathering. One could, therefore, argue that Abel's offering is greater because his stock was given to God before himself or others. Cain’s was not.

But it does still raise a question: Does God show favour to some more than others?

Often when you’re in a relationship with God and He is in “His quiet period” it is easy to look around and question what you’re doing wrong.

The above assumptions on why God didn’t show favour to Cain is exactly that, assumptions. The text doesn’t actually say why He didn’t.

Of course, his reaction is bad. He shouldn’t have got angry, dejected and jealous. God, in His response, is telling Cain to turn back to good. Yet, He doesn’t explain why He didn’t show him favour.

I can completely understand Cain’s response.

Don’t we all feel a little jaded when things are overwhelming and those next to us are constantly being blessed? I know I do.

It might not be an instant reaction but once I’m deep within the abyss part of the relationship it certainly crosses my mind.

You’re in that position, crying out to have a response and there’s nothing. God isn’t showing you favour.

It’s easy to allow it to become consuming. We are taught that:

“Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield” Psalm 5:12

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” Psalm 85:11

“May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17

These are just a few examples. What is clear is that God is GOOD to His people who walk in righteousness according to His ways. Not only that, but when you do He FAVOURS you.

We celebrate together in the many blessings that we see Him do in ours and others lives. It is easy then to feel that He isn’t favouring us when things are going wrong. And, if He isn’t favouring us then what did we do wrong that made it change?

Once that thought enters it can be a hard one to shake. In that very moment I can empathise and sympathise for Cain. Can’t you?

However, all you are doing is echoing the actions of Cain. You’re actually creating an issue between you and God that wasn’t there before.

In truth, if you delve deeper you find that God loves everyone, whoever they are and whatever they’ve done.

The bible says:

“For God does not show favouritism” Romans 2:11

“As for those who were held in high esteem– whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favouritism” Galatians 2:6

“At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” Acts 10:34-35

The list could go on and on.

God doesn’t show favouritism.

So which is it? Does He or doesn’t He show favour to His people?

Here is the problem. The above sentence suggests a “you and them" status. God isn’t like that. We are ALL God’s children. After all, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” John 3:16

I know harder and quieter moments within a relationship with God that it’s hard to see the love that we’re desperately seeking.

But, there’s 3 things that we need to remember:

One:

When God, with Moses, freed the Jews from Egypt (Exodus 12:32) they wondered the desert and wilderness for 40 years. They suffered harsh terrain, famine, violence and a very quiet God. This incredible length of time after seeing the victory of overcoming a mighty empire like Egypt must have felt so isolating.

Two:

Jesus, His son, who came to earth to show us how we can have a better relationship with the Father had his own quiet moments. He spent 40 days in the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1-11) Also, close to his death on the cross he says to God, the Father “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Matthew 27:46)

Three:

Through my research for this post I found this bible verse “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.

It was the line “weeping may stay for the night". A perfect representation of feeling like you’ve been left in the dark by God.

It’s hard, there’s no doubting that. There are moments when we all feel like we can empathise with Cain where we are desperately seeking to be in God’s favour.

What we must try and remember is that there is a time for everything. God will ALWAYS provide for you through hardships even when it doesn’t seem like it. We can confidently continue to walk through any trial knowing that He leads us, His people because His favour lasts a lifetime.