By Rev. J. Loren Russell
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”
If you have ever suffered from low self-esteem or a lack of self- confidence, you are in good company. The children of Israel needed this triune blessing referenced in the scripture above. His power, His presence and his Holy Spirit. This Old Testament priestly benediction was given to the children of Israel to prepare them for their entry into the Promised Land, to reassure them that they were indeed loved by God and chosen. In three sentences they experience the power, the presence, and the grace of God in all His glory; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The power of the Father is evidenced through His promise to bless the children of Israel. To bless is to salute, to honor and to esteem. The Lord promises to bless His chosen people. He promises to keep them, to guard, to protect, and to preserve them. He has charge of all they will experience. He is the source of all our blessings as well. In like manner, He is the source and the sustenance of all that we are, all that we have and all that we will ever be. He has the power to bless and to keep us just as He did the children of Israel.
The presence of God is revealed when He makes His face to shine upon them. He takes pleasure in their worship. His graciousness, His kindness, and His generosity shines on them. The face of God is displayed in the face of His only begotten son Jesus Christ. He gives light to the world because He is the light of the world. The Lord delights in our worship.
The presence of God shows up in the children of Israel because He places His countenance on them. They reflect the presence of God because the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the one who comes along beside them has established personal intimacy with them. The result is peace in their lives. It is because of that personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit that there is order in their lives even though they are living in the chaos of the wilderness. They will have wellness, happiness, prosperity, rest, and safety despite their circumstance. Today’s believers have the same assurance.
If you have ever suffered from low self-esteem or a lack of self- confidence, this triune blessing is for you. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit desires to bless and keep you, to make His face to shine upon you and to be gracious to you, to lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. The last verse in this chapter really sums it up for us, “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” Matthew Henry says of that verse, “For in every place where God records his name, he will meet his people and bless them.”
It is through His power, His presence and His grace that the Israelites made it through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. The same power, presence and grace will bring you through whatever trial or tribulation you’re facing and deliver you to the land of promise He has for you.
Be Blessed!
Rev. J. Loren Russell, associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting, host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Soul 1 Radio, Monday’s 8:00 – 10:00 PM (626-226-1448), author of Matters of Faith: The Book.
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