What's in Numbers? Blessing

Here goes my first reflection on treasures from the book of Numbers. After walking through the first 5 chapters about the census, the role of the Levites in worship, how to deal with jealousy on the part of a husband who thinks his wife has potentially been unfaithful (this is serious "summoned to the priest" intervention), and the Nazarite consecration to the Lord, I found myself staring at a small, beautiful clearing on my journey.

That would be Numbers 6:24-27. It's a blessing that God told Moses to relay to Aaron and his sons to speak over Israel. I looked up the word "bless" in my handy Logos software and it offered the following, "speak words invoking divine favor, with the intent that the object will have favorable circumstances or state at a future time". Swanson, James: Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament).

I have read this blessing before and also had it spoken over our congregation by the pastor. It caught my attention more than usual because God had impressed on my heart a few months ago through a message I heard to pray this blessing over my loved ones.

I have been calling out to God to add to the favor already on the lives of my loved ones. I love how the Scripture says in Numbers 6:27 to invoke the name of the Lord on the people and that He will bless them. So I have been invoking and believing that God is answering although my faith is tested when circumstances and relationships are tough.

The blessing in Numbers 6:24-26 is written below in the New Living Translation. I am asking the Lord to make Himself known in bold and bodacious ways as we seek Him and His presence. I encourage you to ponder for a moment who you might pray these words over.

May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.