Proclaim...the Lord's Favor

Isaiah 61:1 says “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me…” God promises we are filled with the Spirit and anointed to do the work of God. How do we start? Where do we start? Isaiah says we are “to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…” We might say then ‘What can we do?’ The problems of the world seem daunting.

Jesus uses this verse as his mission statement for ministry in Luke 4:18. A few chapters later, John the Baptist sends some of his followers to ask “are you the one who is to come” and Jesus “replied to the messengers, ‘Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.’” (Luke 7:22) Those held captive by disabilities and circumstances are being freed from those disabilities and circumstances. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians refers to this, “For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2) Paul is referring to Isaiah 49:8 when God announces favor and restoration. He goes further to state that ‘NOW is the time of God’s favor’ and ‘NOW is the day of salvation’.

What is God’s ‘favor’? The definition of the word says it is an attitude of approval, support, an act of kindness beyond what is deserved. God’s favor is God’s grace seen and lived in Jesus Christ and given to us in the Spirit of the Living God. Like these birthday roses, God's favor is a beautiful and unexpected, even unmerited gift. God’s Kingdom is present in and among us and it is up to us to proclaim, tell, and demonstrate that God’s  favor has come.

Ann Voskamp challenges us to be People of the Word who are “for the voiceless, to stand with the silenced, to never make pain out to be invisible, as injustice is intolerable…so the hope of the Gospel can be of use anywhere it goes.” We are “People of the Cross…witnesses for the suffering, and responders to the victims, and testifiers of Truth, no matter the cost, no matter the risk, because Christ is The Truth — and where there isn’t Truth, there isn’t Christ. Why ever hide or cover-up the Truth?” That seems like a big challenge, but Voskamp reminds us “the mercies of God never fail and His mercy envelopes your every thrumming thought and begging pulse… Mercy is God making Himself your all encompassing safe place — so you can grow...Mercy is what begs us to be mercifully safe places for the suffering and victimized and abused and all the broken in our families, our communities, our churches, in our aching, breaking world, — so every soul can enlarge and grow strong.” When we stand up for those who cannot defend themselves we ” proclaim liberty to the captives… [and] the year of the Lord’s favor.” Further, as Voskamp notes, “The Gospel always releases any need of covering up and makes a place for standing up and opening up…The Gospel always cups your face in the midst of your worst suffering — and offers you the cup of communion through your worst suffering.”

God’s Kingdom comes when we LIVE our faith. And we do this little by little, day by day. The song Thrive* by Casting Crowns says that “in this worn and weary land… we're reaching out To show them who You are” so that all can know the “Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible” found in the Good News of “living water flowing through… and flood our souls With one desire…” We are, as Voskamp says, People of the Word. We have met the Holy One and must desire to share the Love we found.

What can you do today to stand in the strength of God as People of the Word and proclaim freedom? How can you show the Joy, Faith, and Love of our God to someone who is lonely, hurting, broken? When can you offer God’s favor and grace to a hurting soul? Where can you help someone learn to ‘Thrive’ in God’s grace?

*Thrive by Casting Crowns 

Here in this worn and weary land
Where many a dream has died
Like a tree planted by the water
We never will run dry

So living water flowing through
God we thirst for more of You
Fill our hearts and flood our souls
With one desire

Just to know You and
To make You known
We lift Your name on High
Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more
Than ordinary lives
It's time for us to more than just survive
We were made to thrive

Into Your word we're digging deep
To know our Father's heart
Into the world we're reaching out
To show them who You are

So living water flowing through
God we thirst for more of You
Fill our hearts and flood our souls
With one desire

Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible
Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible
Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible
Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible 

Hey! We were made to Thrive