God's Favour

For your loving kindness is great beyond measure, high as the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches the skies.
Psalm 108:4, TLB

I know now that being in Kingston this week-end was God ordained. I was headed for Montreal to represent OMF at a mission’s fest but changed my mind just days before when I found out that Eric was facing great discouragement in the midst of his studies in university. Instead of Montreal, Eng (who was already set to go to Kingston to share) and I drove early yesterday morning to be in time for the Heart for Asia Conference in Kingston.

The morning went very well and allowed us to meet up with women interested in getting into missions. It felt like God orchestrated it so that we shared what we did and those women happened to be there to hear us. Later, as we chatted, more information was shared with regard to how they can answer the leading that they sensed God was doing in their lives. It is great to be a part of His plans!

Later, we met with a Holy Spirit filled, godly 90 years old English woman who will have a room available in December for Eric to move into. We sat mesmerized as she told several stories including how she lost her 13 years old son and how the Lord brought her to Himself and used her ever since. She is truly amazing and a living testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness! Even more unbelievable is the fact that she lives in a mansion-like home in front of a beautiful park and just two houses away from Lake Ontario. I don’t know that it can get any more ideal than that! It being cold, we didn’t walk out onto her garden but she said she owned acres of land. It’s too good to be true and yet it is. The house is about a five minute walk from the university. That Eric would be blessed to live there is an understatement and she charges the same amount that we pay the pastor to rent the room Eric is currently staying in.

As I’ve seen the week-end unfold, I’ve begun to understand the Lord’s favour. I’ve been reading about it from the book “Your Best Life Now” by Joel Osteen. [I highly recommend this book if you haven’t read it yet!] The author talked about learning to expect the favour of God because He is as described in the verse above. I’d like to add that King David wrote in Psalm 27:13, “I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” and if he expected it and saw it happening in his life, so should we! Joel Osteen wrote about expecting people to go out of their way to be kind to us because of the Lord’s favour, not because of anything we’d done but because we belonged to Him.

Sure enough, I’ve been praying and declaring that the Lord’s goodness and mercy will follow me in my day-to-day and that His favour is upon me. With eyes that now see, and because I expect it, I’d been witnessing the Lord blessing me/us. On Friday, for example, Ethan and I were shopping for a jacket when a random lady walked up to us and just stated that a jacket sale with 40% off was happening at another shop the next day. Yesterday, as I took an apple to give to Eric, another lady who ‘happened’ to be walking by said there was an apple sale at the local grocery store. A mother we hadn’t met before came over to where Eric and I sat after Eng shared the message at church this morning. While she held Eric’s hand, she sincerely told him that he was welcome to go to her house any time he wanted a meal. She further asked for his number and said she would call to invite him over. The couple who hosted us for the week-end went out of their way to make our stay comfortable and when we left, we even had snacks for the drive home. They fed us, gave us books, and prayed for us! They also said they’d invite Eric over and feed him. And just before we left their place, I sat down to write them a thank you note and the verse above was the very verse displayed on their desk. Just in case I wasn't paying attention, the Lord saw it fit to accentuate the obvious. =)

Needless to say, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude. Anywhere we went this week-end, we got the prime parking spot just outside the store we wanted to patronize. It is amazing to see the Lord’s favour at work! My prayer is that you will see it, too! Start now, thank the Lord for the great day you’ll have. Thank Him for His favour that rests on you because you belong to Him. Thank Him that His goodness and mercy will follow you as you go through your day. Then watch and see your day unfold. I know your days will end with smiles on your lips as you think back on what He’s done. The Lord will go out of His way to bless you. =D He is, such a God! Thank you, Lord, for who you are. I LOVE you.