Can I please God?

Many times I’ve heard it said that “God is pleased” with this or that, so when my eyes saw FAVOR in the concordance, it seemed idea to explore how God shows favor. The Hebrew word means “a feeling of favorable regard” and the first verse that uses this word is Genesis 6:8, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” The same description is found dozens of times in the OT, but what does it mean? On what basis is God showing favor to some but not other?

At first it seemed like the Lord’s favor was for those who did good things, yet many verses did not give that reason, only that God simply had regard for someone. Further study revealed that the English word is based on quite a few Hebrew words, each with the same or nearly the same meaning. Soon I realized that the favor of God is about God, not about anyone earning or deserving it, yet when those who received His favor responded with obedience, God’s grace was further bestowed. In other words, favor was a free gift that opened the door to more of the same.

But what motivated this gracious gift in the first place? If Noah was not special, or Abraham, Moses or David, why did God show favor? Could it be that this is the nature of God — to give people what we do not deserve?

The OT verses showed that favor is related to mercy and acceptance: Ezra 9:8 says, “But now for a brief moment favor (mercy) has been shown by the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery.”

Psalm 30:5 declares, “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor (acceptance) is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

At least one verse uses favor from a word that means grace . . . Psalm 84:11: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor (grace) and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

While this verse seems to link grace with goodness in the recipient as if we can earn it, the NT clears up the matter. In Greek, grace is “goodwill freely disseminated (by God); especially to the benefit of the recipient regardless of the benefit accrued to the disseminator.” Grace can also be “a present given as a sign of beneficent favor.” My Bible dictionary says this Greek word (charis) can mean favor or grace or thanks, depending on the context.

This means a careful look at verses. For instance, Mary found favor with God and Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. For help, I turned to a commentary that explained why grace is a God thing, not something we deserve. The author says that all Jesus did upon the cross was in grace, freely done for sinners because we all fall short and cannot please God. His pardon and forgiveness are done in righteousness which results from that grace. In other words, God forgives sin because it has been paid for in full. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Because of this, salvation is offered to the unsaved and is the present possession of believers. Our new life and “all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places” in Christ stem from pure grace. Grace provided salvation and grace upon grace adds the immeasurable benefits that are ours in Christ. Our salvation is accomplished because the Judge who demanded full payment for sin is also the God of all grace who provided Christ in full payment for that sin. In grace, He seeks out sinners, brings us face to face with the facts and with the results of grace, and imparts to us saving faith. Because the Judge is satisfied by the blood of Christ, the God of faithful righteousness holds and maintains the believer steadfast to the end. This is grace and what it means to experience God’s favor.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. I did nothing to earn the favor of God. He shows me favor because of Jesus’ death for my sin and then He gives me all I need to satisfy Him as His child. Such grace is not my doing. it is all of Christ and for the glory of God, the God who blesses me with Jesus and forgives me for the many times I pat myself on the back instead of giving glory to the One who shows me His merciful favor.