Call Favor Home

Misty Morning

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For the LORD God is a sun and shield,

He bestows favor and honor.

no good thing does the LORD withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts,

blessed is the man who trusts in Thee!

- Psalm 84:11, 12



For surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous;
You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.

-Psalm 5:12



And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love Him,
who have been the called according to His purpose.

- Romans 8:28



...the God who gives life to the dead
and calls things that are not as though they were.

Romans 4:17



...to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God.

Isaiah 61:2

I have been feeling the weight of the recent events in my family life, and in the devastation of the northern provinces of our country, including Metro Manila. Many families have lost not only homes, but loved ones as well. Tears would well up in my eyes each time I watched the news updates.

The difficult and painful task of rebuilding our nation lies ahead.

The difficult and painful task of rebuilding Obedient One's confidence also lies ahead.

And what about my own life, did I not need to rebuild it, too?



I woke up Friday morning asking God to touch me afresh.

Gently, a familiar song began to play in my heart. It was the song Through It All.

I took out my iPod, and listened to the song many times over, suddenly feeling so overwhelmed by the loving presence of God.

God began speaking to me about the cloud of favor that surrounds my life. Never doubt, my dear child. I heard His reassuring voice.

Favor is what I have as His child. Never have the words of Psalm 5:12 been such a comfort to my heavy heart.

For surely you bless the righteous, you surround them with Your favor as a shield.

I let the words sink in, even as the tears kept flowing from my eyes.

The LORD God is a sun and shield... He bestows favor and honor.

To be favored means to be "regarded or treated with favor, to be provided with advantages, to be specifically privileged."

Many years ago, a close friend of the family, Jeff Littleton, had prayed for me. He said that the cloud of God's favor was upon me. He saw this cloud settle around me...

In many recurring dreams, I would see a cloud settle upon my home, and a still small voice has often spoken, saying, "That's the cloud of My favor."

I had forgotten.

Until this morning, when I picked up Kate McVeigh's book entitled The Blessing of Favor... and God allowed me to remember the promise of His favor in my life.

I had bought this book for Obedient One months ago. When I saw it at her bedside table, I picked it up and slowly leafed through the pages.


Expect favor.

Call favor home. Call the favor of God to operate in your life. Call your blessings home. Call whatever you need --your money or healing--home.

If you will call those things which be not as though they were, you will have those things that you call for.


I was beginning to be defeated. And weighed down. And was getting weary in the battle.

But He heard my cry.

The word "call" in the Greek literally means "to...summon." When we start calling for the favor of God, it has to show up.

It works the same in every area of your life. If you start calling for healing, healing has to come. If you call your body strong, it will become strong.



Not only were these the words of God that became so real to me. On Sunday morning, in church, guess what was one of the songs that were sung? This very song.

I'm carried on everlasting arms...You'll never let me go...through it all.


I couldn't keep the tears from falling. My Father was ministering to me, letting me feel His favor around me, around my daughter, around my fellow Filipinos who were going through such a painful time...He let me feel His favor like a shield.

The words of Pastor Edgar spoke to our hearts. "There's perfect peace and calm in the eye of the storm," he said. "And the eye of the storm is where Jesus is."

Many in the congregation that Sunday had lost all they had. Tears were falling.

"Maybe you are asking now why the floods came to our lives, " he said.

"Beloved brothers and sisters, the floods have come for only one reason."

"To bring us to higher grounds."

How true it was. Maybe the literal floods did not reach my life. But I was feeling swamped.

How timely the words were...the Bible verses, Kate's book, Pastor Edgar's encouraging message, the song!

God used these all to speak comfort and peace to my heart.


Bring me to higher grounds, dear Father. This is my prayer, the cry of my heart. Thank You that You are the God of my seasons. You'll never let me go, through it all!



Through It All
Hillsong

You are forever in my life
You see me through the seasons
Cover me with Your hand
And lead me in Your righteousness

And I look to You
And I wait on You

I'll sing to You Lord
A hymn of Love
For Your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms
You'll never let me go
Through it all

You are forever in my life
You see me through the seasons
Cover me with Your hand
And lead me in Your righteousness

And I look to You
And I wait on You

I'll sing to You Lord
A hymn of Love
For Your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms
You'll never let me go

I'll sing to You Lord
A hymn of Love
For Your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms
You'll never let me go
Through it all