Favor Now

You guys, do you ever get really excited about saying “yes” to what Jesus is going to do but then He responds and you’re confused and question if you are in the right place at all? Yeah, me too.

My World Race Advisor (Austin, who was also in my sister and bro-in-law’s wedding) has this incredible organization called Keys for the Journey. He partners with people who are fundraising. I applied and ordered my own key to get it all started. Instead of choosing my own word, I chose the “Prophetic Key” option.

Now, that prophecy word is unfamiliar to me. It is one of the more mysterious parts of Christianity that I believe and know is true while still learning to understand. Regardless, I selected it ready for this newness.

Prior to receiving my key, Austin sent me the Scripture he got as he was praying for my word. The passage is Isaiah 61. I received this email as I was sitting on the beach with one of my best friends also named Stephanie. We had just finished talking about some difficulties we were facing in quarantine. Isaiah 61 discusses all that the Spirit of the Lord does when He equips people and the goodness it brings to a broken world. Of course, this is perfect timing, and I am like “Yes, Jesus, do Your thing!”

Then, my key arrives in the mail. My parents and my sister are with me as I open it. I reread Isaiah 61 before unveiling this word. I pull the key out and read it to myself (you know, to practice) before reading it out loud, “FAVOR.”

Of all the potential words or groups of people I thought to classify myself with in Isaiah 61, favored was not it. I associate myself with the broken in need of the favored.

There have been a handful of times in my volleyball career where I simply did not feel big enough for the moment. The moments were still exciting because the accomplishments happened, but my own smallness was still ever-present. This was similar.

I felt unworthy. However, part of me was intrigued. Like, “Really? Can I have favor?” I did not fully know what to think. I envisioned opening up the box with this key and reading the word and immediately being brought to tears because I fully understood. Instead I was led to ponder. My sister encouraged me to dive into seeking understanding by asking Jesus.

I did, but I was uncomfortable with my need to question. I allowed my life to get busy, so I could avoid this vulnerability. As my avoidance ran out, I revisited the question of what favor means now.

I would ask Jesus then try to research all methods I knew how. I googled, looked for a concordance in my Bible which it does not have. I asked those close to me who could share a little, but they would also push me to ask Jesus for myself. 

Then, I felt Jesus nudge, “Can you trust me enough to just ask me and wait for My answer?” Taken aback, I did this. All my strivings were silenced, and I could better understand in this space.

My initial response of hesitance to receiving this word “favor” reveals my hesitance to accept the life Jesus calls me to. He loves loving me and would love to continue healing my broken heart, freeing me from chains, comforting and providing for me as I mourn, giving beauty instead of ashes with my life. 

I have encountered this Love. This is Christianity. Jesus is busy bringing hope, justice, and restoration to the world. It is His unchanging character.

So correct, I am unworthy of favor. That is the really cool thing about Jesus is that He knows that and still chooses to give it to me. I can choose to step into it or I can choose to keep throwing pity parties for myself. Jesus is up to really incredible things in this world, and today I am choosing to accept my role in it.

In fact, Jesus in His time on earth (Luke 4) read the beginning of Isaiah 61 in the synagogue. His audience was outraged that He would proclaim this favor and tried to throw Him over a cliff. Jesus escaped that time, but he did end up losing His life because of the message He proclaimed.

This nice word “favor” is costly. This favor is a responsibility. This favor of Christ is not for me to just bask in; it is for me to join in the work of hope, justice, and restoration.

This is the point of Favor Now.