“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.’” Numbers 6:22-27
“He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 121:3-8
“Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” “Make your face shine on your servant!” “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us.” Psalm 4:6; 31:16; 67:1; 119:135; 134:3
“And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 28:10
The blessing of God upon His people was immeasurable and intangible, yet palpable. The generous heart of God bestowed the gift of His name and keeping, affirming ownership, and His face of light, acceptance, and love. That this blessing was pronounced through the priests anticipated the riches that would be given by Jesus Christ as Great High Priest. (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14-16; 2 Peter 1:3-4)
For His own today He has bestowed every spiritual blessing in Christ. Those who have been bought with His blood own His bounty without measure and can spend a lifetime getting to know it in experience. The blessings that lift the heart and strengthen the soul also impart the divine nature and establish our ministry to others. Do we realize the blessedness of such favor, and sense a responsible compulsion to convey it? (Ephesians 1:3)
With whom are we sharing His benevolence? If we have truly been changed by the love of Christ, to whom in our daily interactions at home, work, and community can we pronounce His blessing and grace? Into what and whose darkness can we shine a divine, peaceful, joyful, countenance that elevates, consoles, and transforms?
“O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread thro’ all the earth abroad
the honors of your name.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life and health and peace.
Hear him, ye deaf, his praise ye dumb
your loosened tongues employ;
behold ye blind, your Savior comes;
and leap ye lame for joy.
To God all glory, praise, and love
be now and ever given
by saints below and saints above,
the Church in earth and heaven.” ~Charles Wesley (1739)
Father, may I never hoard the inestimable blessings You’ve given, but shine and share them abroad that You be known and praised.
As the rain and snow 