Don’t Let Anything Block God’s Favor 

Much attention was given to the recent solar eclipse. There seemed to be more excitement than usual over this occasional phenomenon of nature when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. People flocked to those areas of the country where they could best view the totality of this event. However, most people in the United States, no matter where they lived, experienced some degree of the effects from the moon blocking out the rays of the sun and casting its shadow on the earth.

 While there were those who interpreted the eclipse as a sign of God’s judgment or of the drawing near of the end of the world, we can draw a more personal spiritual application from this unusual occurrence in nature. It has to do with our allowing something to get between us and God. There are times when the brightness of the Lord’s glory and favor toward us is dimmed due to the presence of unrepentant sin in our lives. We find ourselves living in the shadow of guilt and the condemnation of God rather than being able to enjoy the fellowship of His presence.

 David lived within that shadow for a time after his infamous sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the attempted cover-up in which he orchestrated the death of her husband. No doubt, David tried to go about his life as usual and carry out his duties as king as he had done previously. However, the scriptures testify that there was a dark cloud hanging over him during that period of time – “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord” (II Samuel 11:27).  It was only when God’s prophet confronted David with his wrongdoing that the darkness began to lift. David confessed that he had sinned against the Lord. He thoroughly repented, the expression of which can be seen in one of the psalms he penned at the time (see Psalm 51). And God graciously forgave him, even though there were still consequences that he had to face.

It is wonderful to live in the bright sunshine of God’s blessing and favor. Those who put their trust in Jesus as their Savior will enjoy the fullness of that experience one day when they go to be with the Lord for eternity. However, even now we can know the joy and peace that comes with the assurance that nothing is standing between us and our God. We can experience the reality of that biblical 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” (Numbers 6:24-26).

Nevertheless, we can cause that light of God’s favor and blessing to dim when we willfully sin and live unrepentantly in its aftermath. Like David, we may try to go about our business as usual, but the shadow of God’s displeasure is lingering over us. In the darkness we may be blind to our need or deceive ourselves about our condition. We need to listen to God’s voice as He tries to point out the problem, call us to repentance, and bring us back into a right relationship with Him.

If we have allowed anything to darken God’s glory and favor in our life, let’s admit it, confess it, repent of it, and receive God’s forgiveness and restoration. Let’s keep our hearts clear and keep walking in His light.

In the words of an old song, “Nothing between my soul and the Savior, so that His blessed face may be seen; nothing preventing the least of His favor: keep the way clear! Let nothing between.”