We Are all God’s Favorite! Colossians:3:23-25

23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.



As most of you know... my husband Brad died a little over two years ago of cancer. The days leading up to his death were horrific and heartbreaking. His death left me feeling amputated. We were one...by God's design for us in marriage...there could be no deeper cut.

Yet, over the past two years God has revealed and provided me with many displays of His love and compassion for Brad and for me. However, there have been some days when I have struggled with not so much the "why"...(for so many others who love God have been afflicted in similar ways or even worse),but I have struggled with feeling that somehow God was displeased with me...well, displeased because He knows me!

I know I have not done anything to deserve any of the good things God has blessed me with. Brad being absolutely the best blessing in my life... apart from Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior! The Lord has blessed me greatly since Brad's death in countless ways. He is faithful and He loves to blanket His children in His abundant provisions and love. My love and trust for Jesus has increased beyond measure. Yet, I have still occasionally struggled...

I struggled with feelings that perhaps if I had loved God more...He would have "favored" Brad and I instead of allowing the cancer to "win". No Scripture or Bible teaching lends itself to this kind of thinking... I know it is a lie...but, in times of weakness...it was there that these thought would creep into the "cracks of my armor".

When I study God's Word I ask that He reveal to my mind and heart what He wants me to know about Him and to give me a new insight into His love and purpose...to give me the courage to respond and act..and to share.

Sooo, while studying Scripture in Colossians 3, I came across the end of verse 25 which states, "there is no favoritism". The Lord illustrated this Truth to my heart in this way;

Imagine a father who has 5 children whom he loves greatly and all have fallen into a deep lake and will drown if he does not rescue them. This human father would not "favor" saving one child over the other. No, he would certainly desire and attempt to save them all!

How much more that God loves all of His children. Unlike the human father, God our Father know exactly what each drowning child needs. One child may need to be rescued "first" because he is the weakest of the 5 and will not survive any delay.

Another child has the ability to "hold on" slightly longer because God has enabled him to. The next child has even more strength and confidence in their father and know He is coming to recues him, so although he is scared and feeling tired, he able to wait a bit longer still.

The 4th child can't see His father but knows He is near and is calling his name...encouraging him to "keep swimming". This child remembers all his father taught him about swimming and focuses his mind and heart on his Father's voice...trusting in His promise to come rescue him. It's taking so much longer than he thought for his Father to come rescue him...he's tired and cold and scared and he begins to lose hope, so he begins to sink...and at that very moment, his Father lifts him out of the water and he is safe.

The 5th child knows he is greatly loved by his Father...this child has seen how his Father rescued all the others from drowning and is grateful to see his brothers are safely back on dry land. He knows his Father is trusting him to hold on and keep swimming.

This child has been waiting and swimming a long time now, but he overcomes his fears of drowning quickly because he can hear his Father's voice and he knows his Father will come for him too. He is amazed at his own strength...yet he knows this strength comes from practicing all that his Father has taught him. He also thinks about how much his Father loves him. He is secure in knowing that his Dad will soon reach out and take him from this nearly impossible struggle to survive in this deep water...

The Father reaches the last child and he is safe once again ...

Whether the 5th child is saved to walk on the dry shores with his other brothers or to walk on the streets of gold with Jesus ... the Father loved each child without favor. God alone knows what each child needed and the right moment to reach them. He loved each and met their needs as each one required...in God's perfect wisdom...and in God's perfect Way.

So, I thank my Father in heaven and praise the name of Jesus! God's love is perfect.

When I was drowning in fear and sorrow... He lifts me out of the pool of doubt and took me to dry land. While holding me tightly in His protective arms I think I heard Him say.... "you know Kathy, if I had a favorite...it would be you"! But you know,I also heard Him say the very same thing about you...and about all my brothers and my sisters... and I didn't mind that at all! It gave me joy!

God doesn't show favoritism... because we are all His favorites!

Worthy is the Lord! May our lives be an offering...our every breath and heartbeat for His glory alone. I once lived "for me"...I now greatly desire to live for Christ.
Kathy