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In John 10:10 Jesus says that He has come that we may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. So what does abundantly mean? Well according to the dictionary it means ‘present in great quantity, overly sufficient, an abundant supply, abounding.’ All that sounds great, right? Wait, it gets better! It also means to be marked by favor. Jesus saying this shows that we are marked by God with favor. It implies a favor that is so evidently displayed that people are drawn to it and therefore to God. Job had favor such as this resting on his life. He was abundantly blessed in all ways and because it was anchored in God his later days were even more blessed than his former. He didn't pursue the riches of this favor, he pursued God and because of that proper alignment the blessings of this favor made up his life.
Favor is a commodity from heaven that touches our lives and make them shine the light of God’s graciousness so that others might see the evidence of His love. As we mature in love we can’t help but display God to others. Numbers 6:23-27 shows us that we were meant to walk in this blessing “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” This favor does not just refer to monetary means but on so much more. It is an all encompassing favor.
This may seem on the surface as a prideful thing to desire but when our hearts are filled with God's love and we are rooted in our identity as believer's, we desire to walk this out not so that we are noticed but that others might see Him. It is more than okay to be marked by God, to stand out when it is for the purposes of making Christ known. It is so important that we recognize and walk in the authority that God calls us to because we have a role to play in God's purposes. The Bible says in Romans 8:22 that whole of creation groans, not just people but the physical earth is under a curse and is eagerly awaiting the rising up of the children of God. My friends, this is us. It means that when we recognize our proper place in the kingdom, allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to work through us, the curse from the Fall can be broken.
In the garden of Eden there were two trees, one that is called the tree of life. It is to this tree that we can have reestablished access once we have accept the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. In Revelation this tree is mentioned again and it is said that the leaves are for the healing of the nations. How awesome is it that when we live a life marked by God we can have this functioning in our lives today! Let's set aside our doubts, embrace God's truth and allow ourselves to stand out for Him.