Lord Jesus, I seek you and your favor beyond all the riches of the earth, and all the enjoyments of the world.
Lord, help me never to forget that it was your favor that brought you down from heaven. Your favor that prompted you to die, to rise again, for poor sinners. Your favor which makes you wash us from all our sins in your blood.
All of your grace here, all the glories of redemption hereafter—everything was bought and the result of your favor.
Precious Lord, please show me your renewed favor, day by day. And let those visits from you be so gracious, so sweet, and so continual, that I may think or speak of nothing else.
I pray for grace to spend all the moments of my life here, receiving your grace and love, and bringing you love and praise, until you take me home to live at the fountain of your favor. That is when the whole happiness of eternity will be in the praises of God and of the Lamb, and we will enjoy “the favor of him who dwelt in the bush.”
Robert Hawker (Piercing Heaven)
Abba,
Do I truly live in pursuit of Your favor? Or am I really living in pursuit of my own?
Ps 63:3 continues to ring in my heart…”Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”
Your love, Your presence, Your being should be ALL that matters. And yet, how often am I unwilling to get uncomfortable for You? How often am I willing to put myself out for You? How often am I willing to follow Your leading?
Abba, it is Your favor and Your favor alone that allows me to bear the title, “Child of God.” It is Your favor alone that has secured forgiveness and redemption. It is Your favor alone that promises an eternal inheritance so rich that I cannot even begin to imagine it. It is Your favor alone that promises peace in hardship. It is Your favor alone that grants joy in sorrow. It is Your favor alone that gives comfort to the downhearted.
YOUR love, my precious King, IS better than life.
YOUR favor is the richest prize and possession of this life AND the one to come.
Why then, do I not live like that means something?
Why then, am I unwilling to get uncomfortable?
Why then, am I unwilling to suffering, to sacrifice?
IF IT MEANS YOUR FAVOR WOULD REST MORE RICHLY UPON ME, why am I not willing to make the pursuit of Your favor the highest objective of my life?
Why is YOUR FAVOR not preeminent on my mind at all times?
Why is Your favor not the choicest commodity that I seek?
I know the answer. It is simple. This sinful flesh stands in the way. Though the Spirit You have placed within me craves it, the flesh in which I dwell resists it.
Grant me grace to pursue AND ENJOY Your favor alone above all other pleasures of this life.
Grant me the grace, from Your abundant throne, to die to self, to put down all other passions, that I might run to and bask in the joy of Your favor…a favor that is so richly laden with grace that it can be nothing other than intoxicating.
Make self denial and self sacrifice such a pleasing and joyful experience in light of the fruit and consequence of doing so!
In light of Your favor and love, may the things I am called to deny, to lay down mean so little in light of that which I gain.
May my life reflect that which is truly giving deep delight and satisfaction to my soul.
A Singular Passion 