Numbers  6:24-27 – “The LORD  bless you, and keep you; 25 The LORD  make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD  lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’ 27 “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.” NASB

I cannot do justice to this passage in a short devotional this morning. I will attempt to hit the high points and hope they will bring encouragement and blessing to your hearts as you face another day.  This was something that was said by the priests multiple times each day. They would stand and bless the people this way and the people would receive it and bless the priest back.  It was more than words to them it was a releasing of the power of God, God’s Shalom that had the energy and power to bring it to pass in their lives.

Who is it that is blessing?  Ultimately it is The LORD! It is not just words of a man or men it is The Lord God doing the blessing.  It is an action of God Himself in the lives of the people.  It is a prayer and a promise that God would ‘bless and keep them’.  It is a prayer and a promise that God’s ‘face would shine upon them’. 

When I watch my children or grandchildren as they perform something special or well my ‘face shines toward them’, and I beam with pride and love.  It is a prayer and a promise that God would ‘lift up His countenance toward them.’  He would look upon them favorably and in so doing would ‘give them peace.’  His Shalom would go before them, work in them and lead them in the right paths.  This was something that the Israelites longed to hear and it meant something to them. 

Sadly, we’ve heard it or said it in benedictions in church and people say ‘Ho Hum’ another quotation from the Bible.  It is virtually meaningless to many that hear it and even some that say it.  It sounds good but if we examine it, believe it, and receive it into our lives it releases power from God to go before us and work in us to bring about His Blessing!  It is a release of the Covenant into our lives.  It, as are the words of the Bible, is more than just words.  It is The Word of God and the Word of God is filled with the Love and Power of God.  God’s word does not return to Him void but accomplishes that which He sent it to do.

Instead of just hearing this and allowing it to slide off like water from a ducks back take it to heart, examine it, understand it, believe it, and receive it into your life.  When I say it I expect the Power of God to be released to bring it to pass in the lives of those to whom I speak.  So in closing let me pray this prayer:

“The LORD, bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.”

God with God and go in peace!  Blessings!