PSALM 30:4-5: “Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: What is the favor of the Lord? How does an understanding of His favor impact our daily life? Is His favor ever withdrawn from His children?

The Hebrew word for favor in this verse means – pleasure, delight, goodwill, and acceptance. In this Psalm the favor is juxtaposed with His anger and our sorrow. The difference is that His favor is a constant in our life. His anger and our sorrow are only temporary.

It seems strange to talk about the anger of the Lord and our sorrow in the same verse that speaks of His favor. I am the first in line for His favor but I would rather leave the anger and sorrow thing alone. Yet, in life, we experience both. And, when we do, we need to understand what is happening.

God’s anger is always directed toward the sin and brokenness in our life and never towards us. He loves us so much that He will not allow us to continue in our sin without lovingly dealing with us as a Father. The goal is never to destroy us. The Father’s goal is to always refine and restore us!

• “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” Hebrews 12:5-7 NKJV

Chastening is not fun, but it is necessary. God allows us to go through trials and difficulties for the refining of our faith. His desire is to cleanse and perfect our hearts so that He can pour His favor into our lives. We always want to escape from this chastening. However, if we understand its purpose in our life, we can embrace it as the work of a loving Heavenly Father.

• “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:11-13 NKJV

So many times I pray that the Lord would remove all suffering from my life. I want to live in His favor and avoid all pain and sorrow. Yet, if He allowed this, I would remain in my brokenness and walk continually deficient of the favor that He so lovingly wants to pour into my life. Whom the Lord loves He chastens. This is not a popular theme today – but it is the truth. And, it is His favor that is at the end of His chastening.

This gives me great hope and perspective! No matter what I am going through, He is with me. His favor is always His goal for my life. Even in the darkest valley of tears there is a destination. It is joy in the morning under His favor and love. We are never left in the valley. We are always perfected and blessed through the journey.

The past year has been a year of journeying through the valley. It has been filled with tears and prayers. It has been one of deeply searching my heart and crying out to the Lord for a sense of what He is doing. And, it has been a year of correction. Correction of my heart and my path. In all of this I have sensed His favor and His presence. It is the only thing that has kept me on course and filled with hope.

This I know – God is not a respecter of persons. What He did for David, He will do for me. What He has done for me, He will do for anyone who calls upon His name. His favor is for life!

This morning Lord I choose to stand in the promise of Your favor!

• “Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.”

In Jesus Name!