How To Be God’s Favourite?

Everyone has desired God to bless them one way or the other. We all have craved his attention at some point. We all have gone through tough situations that could only call for the almighty’s intervention to escape.

The loss of a loved one, financial loss, divorce, job, health, education, abandonment, and many more are some of the situations where we have cried to God for help, but the one question is, did he care to react and if he did not then why? What does it take to earn his respect and attention?

Man wants financial security, life cover, stable jobs, good education, marriage, children, success, shelter, food, etc. without which he is unhappy. Is that enough I wonder? What do you think? Jesus once said:

Matt 6:24

• No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

What is Mammon?

• the force which makes people try to become as rich as possible and the belief that this is the most important thing in life [Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary]

What is the most important thing in your life? Is it family? Is it your marriage? Is it your education? Is it your business, friends, associates, children, or assets you name it? Have you ever asked yourself what is one thing that God wants us to place first in everything we do?

Luke 12:29-31
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things? 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The above is easier said than done you may say but consider the following story from the bible

1 Kings 17:8-9
And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. 10 And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

What Elijah found in Zarephath was a serious drought and a widow who was moments away from giving up on life. Important to notice here are the words from God “I have commanded a woman there to sustain thee”. How on earth was she going to ensure that seeing she was only left with one meal to survive? The decision that this woman takes will astonish you and show you what it takes to be one of God’s favourites.

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

The widow only needed to hear the words “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel”, To act despite her condition. Someone else would have doubted. Would you have obeyed the words of Elijah and done the same?

Once I was told that during his prime days Alexandra the Great had a well-trained and powerful army. It is said that his army was so disciplined that when he approached any soldier and commanded them to jump they would reply “how high sir?”  without hesitation. His was ready to lay down their life for him no matter what.

God expects the same from us. There is no way we can get his attention except he comes first in our lives. The widow so it fit to first take care of the needs of God before hers and her son even at the moment of death. Her story instead of ending as tragic has on the contrary helped strengthen the faith of many throughout history.

Ps 34:15
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished:

“The Lord will co-operate with all who earnestly strive to be faithful in His service, as He co-operated with Daniel and his three companions. Fine mental qualities and a high tone of moral character are not the result of accident. God gives opportunities; success depends upon the use made of them. The openings of Providence must be quickly discerned and eagerly entered. There are many who might become mighty men, if, like Daniel, they would depend upon God for grace to be overcomers, and for strength and efficiency to do their work”. {Messages to Young People by E.G White p147.3}

The following figures were undoubtedly God’s favourites during their time all thanks to their earnest and faithful service to him.

Of Daniel God said:

Dan 10:11-12
And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

How would you feel if the same were said of you? Daniel had unswerving faith throughout his life and encounters with the Babylonians and so he was deserving of this saying. If you and I are to manifest the same character then there is no doubt we are God’s favourites.

Of Abraham God said:

Gen 22:16-17
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God

What does it take to be a friend of God? The following quote taken from the book Patriarchs and Prophets by Ellen G. White describes in detail events that unfolded when Abraham was being tested by God.

“Heavenly beings were witnesses of the scene as the faith of Abraham and the submission of Isaac were tested. The trial was far more severe than that which had been brought upon Adam. Compliance with the prohibition laid upon our first parents involved no suffering, but the command to Abraham demanded the most agonizing sacrifice. All heaven beheld with wonder and admiration Abraham’s unfaltering obedience. All heaven applauded his fidelity. Satan’s accusations were shown to be false. God declared to His servant, “Now I know that thou fearest God [notwithstanding Satan’s charges], seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me.” God’s covenant, confirmed to Abraham by an oath before the intelligences of other worlds, testified that obedience will be rewarded”. {PP 155.1}

We are in the Great Controversy between God and Satan. GOD wants testimonies. Are you willing to be one of the testifiers? Will you bear witness for God? Now you know what it means to be a friend of God, what it means to be a beloved of God. Does heaven have confidence in you? Because it did with the widow, it did with Daniel and it did with Abraham.

If God would set a test for you will you overcome as the above figures did? Or yours will be a sheer disappointment?

Matt 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you

The Promise

Ps 34:19-22
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. 22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

God has not promised us a smooth life on earth. In life, we will meet obstacles and challenges but these we will have to defeat by our constant faith, fidelity, and unfaltering obedience to him. It is a combination and manifestation of these that will earn us God’s respect and attention and like the widow of Zarephath, our days on earth will be filled with joy forever.

God bless you as you seek him whilst he may be found and see you in the next lesson.

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