Saturday, June 6, 2015
Numbers 6:22-27 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; 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." So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.'"
THE AARONIC BENEDICTION: COUNTLESS BLESSINGS!
The familiar hymn "Go, My Children, with My Blessing" brings to mind the risen and ascending Savior, with outstretched arms, telling His disciples, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them ... teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18ff).
Countless souls worldwide know not the true God as He has graciously revealed Himself in the Scriptures. In His Great Commission Jesus entrusts us with the privileged task of helping others know the countless blessings under which we Christ-believers live.
O Lord, use us to spread the Good News of Jesus so that other sinners might come to appreciate, with us, the many blessings of the gospel.
Let us take care that the familiar words of the Aaronic Benediction not be a "martyr" (as Luther remarked the Lord's Prayer often is: "mere words"). Rather, let us think of it as a few pithy sentences in which our Savior-God gift-wraps to us all the blessings of His gospel.
And when we respond to the Benediction by singing "Amen," know that we are acknowledging all the goodness coming to us from our God--the Father, who created us, the Son who redeemed us, and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies and keeps us in the faith.
With such contemplation the Benediction spoken upon us by our called minister, God's spokesman, will be for us too an "awe-filled" experience!
Go, my children, with My blessing, Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you; You are My own.
In My love's baptismal river I have made you Mine forever.
Go, My children, with My blessing--You are My own.
I the Lord will bless and keep you And give you peace;
I the Lord will smile upon you And give you peace:
I the Lord will be your Father, Savior, Comforter, and Brother.
Go, My children, I will keep you And give you peace.
(Worship Supplement 2000, 800:1, 4)
