What Lasts a Lifetime?

I love fresh flowers. Almost every week I spend a little extra at the grocery store to buy a bouquet for my kitchen table. There’s something about flowers that brighten my mood. They make me happy.

But after a week or two, the flowers start to wilt, turn brown and the water begins to smell, even though I’ve changed it a time or two. That’s when I know it’s time to get new flowers. They are temporal. They die and have to be thrown away.

There aren’t too many things that last a lifetime.

Friendships fail.

Residences change.

Physical beauty fades.

But this week while studying the Psalms I found something God promises will last a lifetime—his favor. “For his anger lasts only a moment but his favor lasts a lifetime…” (Psalm 30:5).

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve prayed for God’s favor.

Lord, will you give my family your favor?

Will you please provide favor for my ministry?

Will you pour out your favor on our finances?

If God’s favor lasts a lifetime for those who are obedient to him, then I’ve been praying the wrong way! Maybe you have been as well.

Instead, we should be thanking him for the favor he has already provided.

Father, your Word promises that your favor lasts a lifetime, so I thank you in advance for the favor that you have in store for my family, my ministry and my finances.

Psalm 5:12 describes God’s favor as a shield. His favor cover and protects us. “For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.”

We all go through difficult times where we feel like we’ve lost God’s favor. It’s true. Sometimes he allows a loss of favor to get us back on the right path, or to teach us something new. However if we are doing our best to be followers of Christ, we have to trust that God is working good out of a difficult situation and that his favor is still with us. It has a lifetime warranty.

Will you thank him for his favor today?

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).

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