15/07/2025
In 1976, while I was a young lecturer, I attended a global conference of Applied Mathematicians in Canada as one of two delegates from Nigeria. At that time, I had only written 12 academic papers. In contrast, the man who gave the opening speech at the conference had published 150 papers! He spoke about the mathematics of the rain -I had never heard anything like that before. I looked around and asked, "God, what am I doing here?" I was supposed to present my paper the next day, so I prayed to God all night that He should glorify His name in my life during my presentation. I also prayed that the man wouldn't attend my presentation because he was probably going to think to himself, "Who brought this idiot here?" The time for my presentation came, and behold, the man was sitting right in front of me! However, when I finished presenting my paper, he stood up and began to clap. When everybody saw him clapping, they got up and began to clap too. My paper was not as special as the other papers that had been presented, but God had put His fragrance of favor on me.
When God puts His favor upon you, things will work effortlessly in your favor. When He put His favor on the Israelites, the Egyptians, who had tormented and tortured them for four hundred and thirty years, gave them everything they asked for.
And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. Exodus 12:36
God's favor on a man will make even those who hate him to do everything to bless him. They will not understand why they are going the extra mile to give him all he needs. God's favor on Esther made everyone who looked at her to accept her immediately. It also made the king choose her out of the many other damsels (Esther 2:15-17). When God lifts His countenance upon a fellow, that person becomes attractive to everyone who looks at him or her. I pray that God will lift His countenance upon you, in Jesus’ name.