Does God have a favorite? I think we can all agree that Jesus is most certainly His favorite. Multiple times while Jesus walked this earth 2000 years ago, the voice of the Father boomed out from heaven: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am greatly pleased!" When you consider that from all of eternity past, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit dwelt in the greatest of fellowship together, it becomes obvious that when it comes to being a favorite Son, Jesus wins hands down.
But what of you or I? God's favorite? If you're like me, there is a lot inside of me that screams out, "are you kidding?" There is certainly nothing within me that qualifies me for that nor anything that I've done that would be worthy of that title.
Yet, that is exactly what God has told us! Jesus, as the true Son of God, the one who undeniably holds the title of God's Favorite One, has told us in John 17 that the Father loves us with the same love He loves Jesus! This is not simply the same kind of love, but the very love that God has for God is turned towards us who have said 'Yes' to Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus also told us that this very same love the Father has towards us, is the very same love that He Himself has towards us.
The Father loves the Son. The Son loves the Father. The Father loves you and me with the very same love as He loves Jesus. Jesus loves you and me with the very same love the Father loves Jesus! Unbelievable? Yet, in so many ways, this is what Jesus spoke.
We need to step out of our simple perspective and denial of this possibility. We have been raised in our human understanding that parents shouldn't have favorites as it somehow reduces the love we demonstrate towards the other siblings. Yet in the perspective of eternity and God's infinite being, He is perfectly capable of having many favorites without reducing one ounce of love towards another.
In Song of Solomon 1:9, we see a picture of this when the Bridegroom King speaks over the Bride that compared to even the best and grandest of the Pharoah's chariots, she outshines them all in her beauty. He continues to tell her of her beauty throughout the chapter and in chapter 2:1 she finally begins to understand when she cries out: "I am the Rose of Sharon, The Lily of the Valley!" I am His favorite!
I challenge you to start asking Jesus what He thinks of you in this. Can we actually live in the reality that in a one-on-one relationship with God we are His favorite? This is never in relationship to another brother or sister, but simply between you and the Infinite God who loves you as He loves Himself.
Can you begin to say to Him, "Here I am, your favorite one..." ?