“The Lord blesses 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.” Numbers 6:24-26
The Bumper Stickers
I have plenty of time on my daily commute for reading bumper stickers on cars. Some are aggressive; some are insightful, while others are downright unpleasant. However, a bumper sticker I just saw recently gently challenged my heart. The sticker plainly stated, “Too blessed to complain.” As I examined that statement, I must admit that I felt convinced that too frequently, instead of focusing on the beautiful blessings God has given me, I find myself ungrateful and full of regrets.
Find a small group of friends and ask them what it means to be a “blessed” person. Most will describe blessed people as rich, self-satisfied, famous and educated. If we looked at the biblical definition of the same term, would we get the same results? I don’t think we would. The blessing of God is utterly interdependent of our external circumstances. The words from Numbers 6:24-26 are a comprehensive and powerful explanation of what it means to be blessed. It’s easy to read this as implying that God will be kind to us, that He will open our hearts to a proper understanding of Himself, and that He will provide us with peace and prosperity.
The Giver Of All Gifts
God is the source of all blessings. After creating man, the first thing He did was to bless him, and it is also the last thing Jesus did before He ascended into heaven. James writes that all good and perfect gifts are from the father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He blesses us the way that a father does to a son or daughter. It is God who blesses us personally and keeps an eye on us. This wonderful benediction is one of the most referenced sentences in personal and corporate worship. All the blessings we receive come on the grounds of the finished work of Jesus on the cross (Hebrews 10:12).
In Genesis 12, God honours Abraham by summoning him from his homeland to a land He would show him. The following promise conforms with the command. “And I will make of you a great nation,” God promises Abram, “and I will bless you and make your name renowned so that you will be a blessing”. Through faith in Jesus, all believers can inherit the same blessing given to Abraham (Galatians 3:14).
The Greatest Blessing
The crowning blessing is the ability of God to keep us from sin, failing and danger. It is a beautiful thing to be kept safely in the hands of the Lord. Those who dwell under the shadow of God have nothing to fear. He gives us eternal life, and nothing can steal us from His hand (John 10:28). It is evidence of God’s favour and acceptance when He shines His face upon us.
Resultantly, the gracious plan of the Lord for us is that we should have our hearts and minds flooded by His peace. God’s grace is also revealed and demonstrated through his undying love for you and me. Therefore, brethren, do not let your hearts be troubled. We can only inherit God’s promises if we have faith and trust in Him.
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