Verse: Numbers 6:22-26
The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Thoughts
This is the blessing that God instructed the priests to pray over the people after every morning service. Imagine someone praying this over you every day of your life! But more importantly, think about what this reveals about the character of God. A couple notes:
The Lord: From whom does our blessing come? The Lord. Our protection (keep you), our relationship (face), our help (gracious), and our peace come from the Lord. The blessing was a daily reminder to look not to yourself, or to power, or status, or money, but to look to the Lord. As Psalms declares: “Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
You: Read it again and substitute “me” for “you.” What an incredible emphasis on the fact that God wants to bless you. Not someone else, you. Not people who have it all together, you. Is it hard for you to read it with “me” as the emphasis?
His Face: How can his face shine upon you and turn toward you, if you aren’t seeking his face? When my kids were younger, and I wanted to get a point across to them, sometimes I would get down on their level, and make them focus on my face and make eye contact. It was the only way to make sure they were actually paying attention. A lot of times in those moments I would tell them important messages like, “I love you” or “I’m proud of you.” Imagine this is what God is trying to do. He wants to fill the frame of your perspective – to fill your vision – to be at the center of your thoughts and focus. As his face shines upon you, can you hear how much he loves you, how proud he is of you, and how deeply affectionate he is towards you?
I wonder what would happen if we prayed this over ourselves, or our loved ones, every day?
Prayer
See above.
Author: Christian Dunn
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