“And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man, Moses was very great in the land of Egypt in sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.”
– Exodus 11:3
Listen to that language. It is so important, because we’re talking here about the Israelites and Moses. So, Moses, if you remember, just chapters ago was saying I’m afraid to even talk. I can’t even speak. I can’t do what you’re calling me to do, God. And the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. But now, look at the transformation that’s come about. Like, Moses has become very great in the land of Egypt, in sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people. And the Egyptians are thinking favorably about all these slaves in their midst. So how is that possible?
Exodus 11:3 Reminds Us the Lord is the Giver
And the key phrase, in the very beginning of this verse, it says, “The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.” And obviously we know that it’s God who gave Moses the strength, grace, power to become great in the land of Egypt. God is behind all of that. So, when we think about prayer, this is one thing we need to pray for continually.
For favor. Something only God can give. I think about when you or I are sharing the Gospel, that’s one of the things we should be praying for, right? Favor. That as we’re sharing the Gospel, as we’re talking about the Gospel just in everyday conversation even, with people around us, that God would give us favor. That He would cause people to hear what we are saying favorably. Only He can do that. This is why we should pray for favor.
Exodus 11:3 Leads Us to Share the Gospel
I mean, think about all the people in our sphere of influence, from our home to our work, to our neighborhoods to our city. Even I think about the church and the community around us. We want favor. We want people to look upon us with favor. Not, now this is key, not because we want the applause of man. Not because we want people to think well about us, ultimately, as if we’re the end. We’ve talked about this.
This is all for the glory of God. We want favor from God among others so that God may be glorified among others. I think about different places in the world, as we take the Gospel there for the first time, as the church. We should pray for favor among those people. Knowing it’s gonna be difficult, it’s gonna be hard, there’s all kinds of resistance to the Gospel, we should pray for favor. In our lives and that as favor is given, it wouldn’t be for our sake but it’ll be ultimately for God’s sake. That there might be a hearing for the Gospel.
This Verse Leads Us to Pray for Favor
So, let’s pray for that now. God we pray for favor. Something only you can give. We can’t cause the hearts and minds of men and women to change. But God, you are supernaturally sovereign over all things and you are able to give favor, just like you did for the Israelites when they were in the middle of all these Egyptians. Just like you did through Moses, in Pharaoh’s eyes, in his servants, in the sight of all these people. God, we pray that you would work in our lives. Help us to draw ever closer to you, to walk in step with you Spirit in such a way that your favor rests on us.
In a Psalm 67 kind of way, God be gracious to us, God please be gracious to us. Bless us and cause your face to shine upon us. God we pray for that kind of favor today in our lives. We plead for that kind of favor. That sounds bold to ask for this, but God you’re calling us to ask for this, so that, in a Psalm 67 kind of way, so that your ways may be known on earth. And your saving power known among the nations. God we pray for favor so that you might ultimately be glorified, in and through our lives, and our families, and our churches. God we pray for your favor, ultimately for your sake. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
