Monday, 6/9/14
If you are among the few who still bids others a “God Bless You” from time to time, you are in the minority. I’m sure you’ve also encountered people who don’t like to be “blessed” and some will make themselves very clear. The ones who don’t like it are either professing atheists or else belong to a religion that is opposed to the practice. Speaking of atheists, I’ll never forget an experience a friend of mine had with a cousin of his who claimed to be an atheist. He kept badgering him to come to one of his church’s Sunday worship service nonetheless. The man finally relented and assured him he would come. When my friend asked him if he meant the following Sunday, the so-called atheist replied, “Lord willing.” The “God Bless You” phrase to me is similar to telling others “I love you” in the regard that you don’t say it to everybody every time because when you do that, it loses a lot of it’s meaning and purpose. In other words, it should come from the heart when we bid it to others.
We take special delight in being able to pronounce the “blessing” after every Sundayworship service at our church to all who are in attendance and I choose to believe that they not only appreciate it, many walk out of church feeling truly blessed of God. Here is why we started that practice some time back: I had read it many times, but one day as I was reading in the 6th Chapter of the book of Numbers, the Lord impressed me to consider more carefully the instructions He gave Moses concerning Aaron and his sons, the priests. They were to bless His people with this special blessing: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Num. 6:24-26) Not only were these God’s instructions, He promised that when His priests faithfully carried out these orders, He Himself would bless them.
These are more than just sweet sounding words; they are living words and assurances of God’s favor upon our lives. They worked for the leaders of God’s flock then; they will do the same for the leaders of God’s flocks today. In fact, they will be just as fruitful for any child of God that chooses to bless others in the Lord’s name. After all, the Bible says that all Christians today are spiritual priests. I bless you today in His Name. Consider yourself blessed.
Memory Verse for the week: (1 Peter 2:9) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
