God's Favorites

Hebrews 11:17-38

Message No. 0594 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

One might ask, what do you mean ‘God’s Favorites’? Does God have favorites? Well, yes, He does. Do not forget that we were created in the image of God, so, just as a manager would prefer to work with a staff who is very cooperative and a team player, God, in whose image we were built, would also prefer to work with obedient people. It does not mean that He loves one person over the other, otherwise Jesus Christ wouldn’t have died for all, but He would rather call the person who would answer Yes and perform a duty, than wasting His time asking the person who would not do the job.

In the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21), Jesus told the chief priests and the elders who questioned His authority (verses 28 – 32):

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”

They said to Him, “The first,” and Jesus responded:

“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

Contrary to what most people believe, God’s favorites are not necessarily those who bear big titles. They might not be those we bow down to or even pay attention to as the custodians of the Word of God. Don’t get me wrong, these people could be God’s favorites too, but what makes God happy is not titles or positions. It is the simple obedience to His Word and commandments. God is not happy with people who teach us to obey God but they themselves never obey Him. Just as we see in the second son in the Bible verses above, God is not pleased with people who say ‘I will’ but never do.

The book of Hebrews chapter 11 is popularly referred to as faith’s hall of fame, because it is filled with people who believed God and acted in faith and by so doing accomplished great things. These are the people who proved by their actions that there is a God in heaven who has mighty powers and is able to do things that He says He will do. He is no respecter of persons, so the only way to warm ourselves into His Heart is by saying Yes whenever He calls.

Take Abraham, for example. He it was who said Yes to God when he was told to leave his father’s house and head to an unknown destination, without a GPS or an idea of where he was heading. He did not waver in his faith, nor the ability of God to take him and his family to the expected end. And when it was time to test his faith by asking for his son to be sacrificed to God, Abraham did not question God, or, at least the Bible did not record his questions. How could God not name him to faith’s hall of fame.

How about David? Despite his many flaws, God said of David that he was a man after His own Heart. Why? Because David never once shied away from showing the world who God was. When Saul and the entire army of Israel were too afraid to confront Goliath, veteran fighter and leader of the Philistine’s army, David, a mere teenager came and spoke of Goliath as an uncircumcised Philistine who defied the army of the living God. Though a tiny, unarmed shepherd boy, he killed Goliath with a weapon only powerful enough to kill a bird, because, behind that weapon was the might of the Most High God.

And Job? God was so sure of him that He introduced him to Satan. In Job 1:8, God said:

“Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

God virtually beat His Chest and showed off before Satan to let him know how proud and how confident He was regarding Job. And, in all of the afflictions that the devil afflicted Job, he never opened his mouth to curse God; he endured the temptation and prevailed at last.

Time will fail us to talk of Enoch and Elijah, who were so perfect before God that He took them away, not allowing them to taste death. And Moses, who had so much trust in God that he led at least two million Israelites out of Egypt (the Bible mentioned 600,000 fighting men, so we can estimate the rest), heading to a land where they will start afresh. Just imagine the logistical nightmare of such a trip!

How about us? If the Bible were written today, would our names be mentioned therein? Do we believe God enough to say Yes to His instructions and commandments? Are we careful enough to ensure that we perform His will all the days of our lives? Can He boast of us to anyone about His confidence in our determination to stand with Him in the face of adversities? Can He count us as one of His favorites? If the answer is No, it does not mean that all is lost. We can still repent. We can still change course. We can still say that from today going forward, we will do His Will. We can still dedicate our lives to Him and His Cause. We can begin to say Yes from this moment. I pray that this will be our decision and action from now on, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Have a blessed week!

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 Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!