July 14 - Psalm 67:1

May God be merciful and bless us.

May his face smile with favor on us.

Psalm 67:1

 

In a tired, broken world, we all have a deep desire to be “bless[ed],” to have “[God’s] face smile … on us.”

 

That’s why the old, familiar benediction is so reassuring. Today’s verse surely reminds you of this classic blessing …

 

“The Lord bless you

and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

the Lord lift up his countenance upon you

and give you peace.”

 

Do you know, however, where those old familiar words of benediction come from? It’s biblical. It’s from Numbers 6:24-26.

 

In the middle of the Exodus and from the midst of a wilderness, God encouraged his priests to encourage the people: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons (the Aaronic priests), saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you …” (Numbers 6:22-24a).

 

That was a holy role of a priest: To remind and reassure the people – in a tired, broken world – that God’s face was still smiling upon them.

 

Well … what if that’s your job too?!

 

Indeed, how do you specifically remind people in this tired, broken world that God’s face is smiling upon them?

 

In fact, who do you know that specifically needs that encouragement?

 

Think about this: Aren’t some of your favorite people in life those who are encouragers?! True encouragers remind us of the good and redirect us to God’s grace! God’s grace … not worldly solutions. Our hope is God’s power, God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s smiling face.

 

Who, indeed, do you specifically need to encourage with a benediction and blessing?

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who wants

to be called “Barnabas”

(it means: the encourager)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

² May your ways be known throughout the earth