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God's Favor

Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

This scripture is life giving to me today.  I was thinking about God's favor and how people in the present culture want to equate favor with blessing and blessing with only good things, including wealth.  Well I have news for you.  The angels didn't say, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth wealth to men on whom his favor rests."  Nope. They didn't even say "blessing to men on whom his favor rests". The angels declared "PEACE to men".  Favor in God means you get a peace that passes all understanding.  I wonder how Mary felt as she watched Jesus die on the cross.  I have a feeling that there was deep, deep sadness and yet, I believe, in the midst of that sadness she felt an incredible peace.  So what is the peace of God.  For me, it is a stillness of my spirit.  A quiet calm deep inside, even though the storm rages.  It's an assurance of what my heart knows, and joy in the midst of weeping sadness.  I would not want to presume that God's favor rests on me, but I know that I have been given the peace that the angels spoke of when Jesus was born.  And I know, without a doubt, that this peace comes from the risen Christ through His Spirit working in me.  Tears of sadness flow for my mom while my soul is at peace in Jesus.  Glory to God for He is the reason we live in Resurrection!

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