From Hopscotch to Holiness

36 From Hopscotch To HolinessFAVOR AND THE WORLDYour choice to walk blameless before the Lord will have dramatic effectson those around you. Consider the example of Noah from Genesis 6:6-8.“The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, andhis heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the faceof the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals,the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret thatI have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”We know that Noah’s desire to please the Lord enabled him to build the arkthat saved many from the coming destruction of the world. Admittedly,there was a cost to Noah. He experienced criticism and derision for hisstand. He was ridiculed and misunderstood by many during the buildingof the ark. However, Noah remained faithful and was greatly used byGod. God’s favor rested on Noah. In our day, where can God use the boldfaith of a Noah to change the course of the world? Everywhere we look,the need is tremendous. I think of many who work tirelessly to rescuethose trapped in human sex trafficking and those who consistently workto eradicate hunger and human suffering due to poverty and disease.Surely the favor of the Lord rests on these precious servants of God.Whatever ministry God calls you to, the Lord will establish the work ofyour hands. His favor is for you! Pause a moment and make Psalm 90:17your prayer. “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish thework of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.”FINDING FAVOR WITH GODScripture indicates that there were many individuals who found favorwith God. We can learn much from their example. Here are two briefstories from scripture that highlight God’s favor.