"A good man obtaineth favor of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn." Proverbs 12:2

This is another familiar theme in Solomon’s writings. A good man obtains favor from the Lord. Those who follow their own desires face God’s condemnation. But I wonder how truly impactful this truth is on daily life. Maybe a better way to examine this is to ask: How real is God to you? Is God really who He claims to be in the Bible? Is He really the Sovereign King ruling in the world around you, and closer to home, in your life? Is His presence really always with us? Is His lovingkindness really better than life? Is He really a refuge? Is He really holy? Does He really take notice of all our ways? Will He really condemn people just because of a few minor sins? Again, how real is God? If God is real to you, the prospect of His favor, His smile upon you will be enough to both motivate your actions and check your sins. This may sound strange, but we have a great need to make God more real to us every day. Of course, I don’t mean that we can actually make God exist. Instead, we can cultivate our understanding and awareness of God. This is accomplished through His word and prayer. We will never really live to obtain favor with God unless we commit ourselves to fellowship with Him. Why don’t you stop right now and spend a few minutes renewing your mind to the reality of God.