- Series
-
Month
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
A Prayer for God's Blessing
A Father’s Love and Longing
Today is December 11, 2011. 35 years ago this day, Maureen and I pledged our lives to one another in marriage. For us, today is a very special day! We are grateful today to have our whole family together at church. We are thrilled to have our son Trevor and his wife Kassi back from Qatar for a visit. On top of that, our daughter Crystal is getting married to Tom McGregor – next Saturday! Also, this morning at the 11 am service, our daughter Jena and her husband Joel will be dedicating their son Ezra to the Lord. Wow, what a great day!
As I think about this special day, I am keenly aware of two things. First, I am overwhelmed by the gracious blessing of God on our family. Today, I am filled with a sense of deep gratitude to God. But secondly, my heart is moved with love and longing. When I look at my children and grandchildren, I desperately want them to be blessed by God. I want their lives to be filled with love, peace, provision, security, and meaning. Sometimes, I worry for them. I know we live in a dangerous world. I don’t want them to be hurt. I want them to be protected. But that’s not enough; I also have great hopes for them! We live in a world rich with life, beauty, and opportunity. I long for them to find ultimate fulfillment in life. I long to see them prosper in every dimension of life: spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical.
So I pray. I pray for protection and provision; for faith, hope, and love. I pray with great longing. But I also pray with confidence. I’ve learned that my love and concern as a father is but a pale reflection of the love and concern of God our Heavenly Father. This is a truth I cherish and depend on. It’s a truth I want to celebrate with you this morning. Numbers 6:22-27 will be our guide.
God’s Heart, God’s Promise
It’s one of the most powerful little paragraphs in the Bible. It’s what we call the Priestly Blessing, and it’s wildly beautiful and profoundly deep. It’s a favorite prayer of blessing, because it speaks to our concerns – protection, provision, and fulfillment.
But the most important thing about this passage is what it reveals about God Himself. The amazing thing about this prayer is that God is the one who wrote it and directed the priests to use it. That means this prayer is more than a reflection of human longing; it’s a revelation of the very heart of God.
So read it again! Now you know the heart of God for your life, for your family, and for all those you love and care for. This morning we’ll take some time to unpack the rich language of this prayer. As we do we will marvel at the heart of God our Heavenly Father.
But is this really a prayer? The language of the passage takes the form of a “benediction.” A benediction is a way of conveying God’s blessing through words. In that sense, these words are more than a prayer, they are a promise of what God is doing and will do in our lives.
God’s Promise Fulfilled
The blessing of God is rich and multifaceted. It includes protection, provision, and peace. But at the center of it all is a relationship with God. That’s why the passage repeatedly speaks of the “face of God.” This is personal. This is being loved by God, and loving Him in return. This is “seeing God” and belonging to God as His child by grace.
The promise of Numbers 6:22-27 is a powerful preview of the good news of the Gospel. It’s a promise that ultimately points to the miracle of Christmas morning: God with us; God and sinners reconciled; the light of the face of God revealed in Christ. This is a promise that goes beyond a blessing just for you, or your family or my family. This is a promise that actually creates a whole new family, the family of God through faith in Christ!
God’s Promise – Your Prayer
So now we know how to pray. We pray the promises of God. We pray for those we love. We pray for our families. We also hear the Gospel proclamation of a “new” family, the family of God. We pray for this family too; our brothers and sisters in Christ. We long for God’s blessing and pray for it in faith. As we do, we trust the love, wisdom, power and promise of our God. So now, let us pray!