When the Israelites had left their captivity in Egypt, and Moses was leading them towards the Promised Land, God had the arduous task of using Moses and his brother Aaron to teach the people WHO GOD IS through God’s desire to shape and mold His people from the standpoint of His love for them. He told the priests to give this special blessing to the Israelites:
“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).
In Numbers 6:27 that immediately follows, God goes on to say, “So they [the priests] will put My name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
This passage is widely known as “the priestly benediction” or blessing. When I was a little boy, my dad would occasionally repeat these verses when I went to bed. With the lights off, he would stand in my doorway with the light from the hall illuminating the side of his face. I could see him. It was my dad. We had a relationship. He was my teacher, my provider, my safe haven, my affirmer. And he not only gave me my name, but he put his name on me. As a child, this was everything. I was his son and he was my father.
Do we SEE God’s face illuminated before us today, so that we remember WHOSE WE ARE? Do we see Him standing before us, so that we FEEL HIS PRESENCE? Do we HEAR His voice vowing to bless us and KEEP us unto Himself because He is our Father? Do we understand the GRACE He has extended to us, though we are far from deserving it? Are we able to shed the chaos of the world in order to walk in the PEACE that He brings to our hearts each and every day, in spite of the chaos?
Do we embrace the FACT that, through His Son Jesus Christ, GOD has PUT HIS NAME ON US? If so, then here’s my question for us this week… WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
If we do not display our faith in Jesus Christ as sons and daughters of our FATHER, then what are we putting on display? When people look at us, do they know that we are OUR FATHER’S CHILDREN?
If not, then we are focusing too much on the temporary things in life. But God is ETERNAL, and so are we.
I was faaaar from the perfect child (oh the stories I could tell you… but I won’t!). I know what it is to feel the wrath of my father’s discipline! But I also know that every punishment, every rebuke, and every correction was coupled with instruction, affirmation, and love. All these things helped shape me into the man I am today. Still not perfect, but very, very blessed to SEE MY FATHER’S FACE and carry my Father’s NAME.
WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
God bless you all, and we hope to see you Sunday!
