by Dr. Carolyn Burhans
Here is a trio of familiar verses: “The Lord bless 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 NIV). This blessing was given by the Lord to Moses with the instruction to inform Aaron and His sons to say these words over the Israelites. They are the desire of God’s heart for His people. Many of us hear these verses or a similar blessing as the benediction at the end of a church service, which is why they are so familiar. At the conclusion of a worship service, we leave a place of sanctuary and return to the world as we know it in our everyday lives. How long do the words, bless you, keep you, shine on you, and give you peace remain in our minds? My guess is they have become so familiar to us that we hastily move on to the next thing without contemplating their meaning. There always seems to be a text or email message that needs an immediate response as we exit the church doors. Maybe we are thinking about what we want for lunch, where we are going and with whom. What about that golf tournament, football game or other sporting event that is calling us to a comfy chair in front of a big screen TV? While the mind wandered on to other things, some pleasurable and some bearing responsibility, what happened to that blessing? The Lord longs for our acceptance of His love and mercy; His forgiveness and grace. Does simply hearing words of blessing cause them to be present in our hearts and heads for more than a fleeting moment? Unlikely. So what can we do to retain such generosity that has no strings attached? Try acknowledgement. Whenever a blessing is prayed over us, let’s take a breath, think about the meaning of the words, and then say (silently), “Lord, I receive your blessing.” Now it’s in your heart and in your head. Now you have acknowledged to the Lord that you have accepted your place in His family and have availed yourself of abundant love, mercy, forgiveness and grace. Perhaps you will remember your blessing, especially in those moments when it is needed the most.
“The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you forever. Amen.”* Receive it! - The Book of Common Prayer; 1986; p.339