Unexplainable Favor
Her name was Hadassah. She was an orphan living among a community of exiles. We know relatively little about her. Just that she was raised by her cousin who taught her to honor God and follow the Jewish ways, and that she was physically attractive.
But there was something about her. Something that made her stand out in a crowd. Something that drew people to her. Something that gave her inner strength.
What was it? It is a word that’s hard to wrap our heads around. Not something that you can produce or formulate on your own. Something that went far beyond her external beauty. Hadassah, who we call Esther, had the favor of God.
Listen to how she is described, “Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.” (Esther 2:15 NASB) or “the young lady pleased him and quickly found favor with him.” (Esther 2:9) Favor is the God-factor. The Hebrew word means grace, goodwill, charm, elegance, or acceptance.
Favor opens doors, brings connections, and changes our circumstances. Favor is when the unexplainable happens in our life. When the only explanation we can give is God.
For Esther, God’s favor opened doors she would have never expected. Favor gave her opportunities and put her in contact with people far outside her circle. Even though Esther was probably not the one voted most likely to change the world, she was the woman God used to save a generation of Jewish people.
Recently as I was reading Esther’s story of favor my first thought was, I need some of that! I found myself begging God – I need your favor! I need you to work on my behalf! I need you to do what only you can do! As I think of the next season of my life, I know I need God’s favor in a very real way.
What about you?
I believe favor is something we all desire, but few people fully experience. In Psalm 5:12 God’s favor is explained this way, “For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield.”
Favor comes from only one source, God. And God has a filter for showing favor, the lifestyle of the person. Most of us want
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Do you notice the connection between God’s direction and our trust? God is making a “straight path” for the person who is dependent on Him. Favor is not manufactured at the moment, it is built through a lifestyle of trust.
Jesus taught His disciples not to worry by focusing on things such as what to eat, drink, or wear. Instead, He challenged them to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) God’s blessings begin with seeking Him and living right.
Over the next month, we are are going to be looking at Esther’s story and the unexplainable way God worked on her behalf. As we begin diving in, take some time to reflect:
- How have you seen God’s favor play out in someone else’s life? What did you notice about them? Why do you think they had this favor?
- What about your life? Think about a time where God did something on your behalf that was way beyond anything you could do on your own. What impact did that have?
- Today, would you say you have God’s favor? Why or why not?
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