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Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. Ruth 2:13

Though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

What Ruth was saying was, I'm not like everybody else.  Man, did she say a mouthfull.  She wasn't like the other handmaidens because she had something they could only dream of having.  FAVOR!!!  Ruth’s story occurred during the time of judges – a time marked by disobedience, idolatry and violence.  Ruth was a Moabite.  The book of Ruth is a story of God’s grace in the midst of difficult circumstances.  Many look at Ruth’s background and pedigree and wonder how she would end up being in the lineage of Jesus Christ (she was the great grandmother of King David and a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ).  Ruth had many aspects of her life that man would count against her.  She was a woman, a Moabiite (or pagan), a widow AND poor.  Doesn’t sound like anything good could come from this woman or happen to her.  But with all these things stacked against Ruth, she had something connected and hovering over her life that would bring her through all the tragedy she had experienced.  FAVOR!  Favor which is the state of being approved or held in regard by the LORD in our lives and all our situations, apart from any merit of our own.  
 

Favor is assigned to you! It is given by God because He has that right.  The bible says, “He shows mercy on whom He willeth.”  Not every saint has Divine favor evident in their life, although everyone has been divinely favored.  Every believer is favored with salvation, mercy and grace, but it is presumptuous to think that all walk in Divine favor.  Once you have this favor, it cannot leave you; only you can forsake it by believing more in the circumstances than God’s word!  Favor in the Amplified Bible is defined as benefits, opportunities, blessings, to be envied and spiritually prosperous, unmerited grace.  Webster defines favor as helpful or considerate act, the attitude of friendliness or approval, to benefit, to give advantage, to prefer or like one more than another.  Favor isn’t something you can earn, buy, steal or get by means of human skill but it comes directly and solely from God.  It was the favor of God upon Ruth’s life that divinely connected her with Naomi.  When Ruth made the decision to be connected to Naomi, she made the best decision of her life.  She had the same opportunity to go back to her family and back to her old way of life as Orpah, but when you have a taste of favor it’s like going from Spam to Lobster, projects to the penthouse; once you have tasted the “favored life” there is just no going back.  Ruth didn’t realize that it was God’s favor that was setting her up for one of the greatest events to take place in her life.  All she knew is that Naomi had something that she hadn’t ever experienced before….the true and living God.  Favor has a way of working for us even when we don’t know its working.  All we have to do connect ourselves to God with faith and determination and He will favor us.  Ruth had become connected to Ruth not because of Naomi’s personality but because of Naomi's connection to God.  If Naomi didn’t have God, I don’t think Ruth would have had that same connection to her. 
 

At first glance it doesn’t seem that Ruth is connected to the right person.  Ruth’s husband is dead, Naomi is a poor widow, her sister-in-law has returned, weeping, but she still went back home.  But never judge a person by where you see them now.  Just because I don’t look like much right now doesn’t mean I’m not favored.  My present condition doesn’t determine my future position.  My favor isn’t based on external forces but eternal forces.  Many times we judge people based on external, carnal, material passions and never take time to take a good look into their prophetic destiny which is covered with favor.  We think if we can connect to people who are going up, people who are known, people who are in the “in” crowd then we will automatically have it too.  But when I have God’s favor, I don’t need a letter of reference or letter of credit from man.  I don’t even money or a good ranking.  I don’t need a recommendation or a “Holy Ghost” hook up.  All I need is God’s favor.   

I heard a story last night from a MIGHTY woman of God, Lady Carletha Taylor.  She told us about a sale on BBQ sandwiches which sold for 99 cents each and was limited to 2 per person.  She said she stood in line from 1:30 until 2:20 and upon getting to the front of the line she order 2 sandwiches, one with sauce on the side (I loved that part the most).  She was told by the order taker, that the time had expired for the sale.  She didn't get frustrated or develop an attitude, she remained stedfast.  Others had gotten out of line after 2:00, assuming that they wouldn't get the benefit of their standing in line and another was turned away.  However, she remained in line because she knew she had a promise of receiving those sandwiches AND God's favor.  She declared that she met the conditions for the sandwiches because she was there in the time frame required and she had her $2.17 to pay for them.  After a short conversation with the manager (a higher authority) she received 2 LARGE sandwiches (one with the sauce on the side) from the freshes cuts of meat, the best of the best if you will; because not only did she have Divine Favor but she also had diligence and determination that she would receive her promised reward.