Daily Devotions
A Model Blessing You Should Use
Reading for February 13th: Numbers 5-6
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
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.'"
Numbers 6:22-26
I'm not sure I've ever heard this blessing used as a model for prayer, but it should be. God specifically gave Aaron words to say when blessing the people. There are three blessings included in this prayer:
"The LORD bless you and keep you." God desires to bless his children and to protect them from harm. He is eager to shower blessings upon us and to uphold us in the storms of life.
"The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you." The face of God shining on us is associated with salvation in the Bible (Psa 31:16; 80:3). When God hides his face from us, it means he is angry with us and we will be punished (Deut 31:17-18). The idea of God's face shining suggests we see the glory of God and that his glory finds pleasure in us (which may lead into the third blessing).
"The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." When God's face shines upon us and he lifts his countenance upon us (really parallel thoughts), the result is we have grace and peace.
As a priest of God, is there someone for whom you should pray this blessing?
Father, I pray you would bless (insert name) and keep (insert name), that you would shine your face and lift your countenance upon (insert name) and grant them grace and peace.
