Numbers 6:24 - 26 "God bless you and keep you. God smile on you and gift you. God look you full in the face and make you prosper. In so doing, they will place my name on the people of Israel----I will confirm it by blessing them." I may not have monetary blessings this day but is that what this is about? We have less money than usual. All 3 of our cars are broken. Can't watch the Olympics---the TV has been broken for 4 years. Yet, at the same moment, Britt just got word by mail that he was a Coca-Cola Scholar and received $10,000. No, this "prosper" means peace. This Hebrew word is "shalom" and it means to restore or replace what I need to become whole and complete---that's what HE is doing in having cancer of my body and soul. So what blesses me? I am blessed beyond words because God has opened my eyes to see in some ways I've never seen before. I am blessed beyond words because I am kept by a holy God Who will not let me stay enmeshed in this world. Do the Israelites see how impossible it is to be clean? Will they find Peace in their wilderness? What goes on in my heart this day as I try to love my own people? Am I finding Peace within that gives up ground, Peace that "lets go," Peace that lives open-handed to the One Who Exists to keep me and smile on me.?
Oh, so true Bev. We read the word prosper in the Bible and our materialistic minds go to money/wealth and that is NOT what God means at all. His peace is so far more than anything money can buy. May you rest in His Shalom today. I have had to lay my relationship with my son on the altar and looking unto Him for my peace in that situation is far more important than any amount of money or things. I have to ask myself, what is it I want more than anything????More of Him should be my answer. Way to go Britt in receiving the money from Coca Cola..wow. Blessings on everyone this week end.
ReplyDeleteJealousy... It's hard to imagine life without that feeling. I was betrayed by a husband who had an affair and it took a long time before I could forgive him and realized he needs God's forgiveness, not mine. I know that all sin will be out in the open soon enough, but I still have a difficult time being close to someone when I ..."or a husband is tormented with feelings of jealousy because he suspects his wife". Not to drag out my dirty laundry, but sometimes I "suspect" someone is lying to me (a smaller lie, not an affair) and have a difficult time being close to them. Oh well, I still need to respect him! :)
ReplyDeleteBev, I am SO happy for Britt and his scholarship!!!
I wish you could come on over and watch the Olympics with me!!
Shalom, sweet sisters!
Angie xoxo
Several years ago I discovered this jewel the Priestly or Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26.
ReplyDeleteDaily I am praying for God's blessings,His Grace Mercy and Peace to cover all of me as I repent of my sins.
Bev, thank you for sharing your heart and reminding me one more time of whose I am and that I really am an Alien on this earth. Through some rough experiences God shines through even brighter as I continue to pursue Jesus and a deeper faith.
I wish you were here to watch the Olympics with me. I recall about ten or more years ago we went a year or so without TV and yes I didn't really miss TV until events like the olympics then I missed it.
Yes, TV is part of our culture but at this point my laptop computer is far more valuable. Bev, I am more than thrilled and blessed that God has allowed a computer to remain in your life to allow me the opportunity to get to know you. Words fail me to describe the blessing to my walk with the LORD that you are to me as I have gotten to know you from the blogs. Each of you reading the Message with me bless me beyond words. I just PTL for you.
BTW a Birthday Song I must tune up for will be for Ang, who is a Valentine Birthday Girl! Happy Birthday Feb 14th Ang in Michigan!
First things first -
ReplyDeleteAng - HAPPY Birthday!! You are truly a blessing to me each day with your insight and encouragement as we read through the Bible. May you be surrounded with lots of love and those closest to you on your B-Day!!!
Second, I can relate about putting up walls when I "suspect" someone is lying to me too. Over the past few weeks, I have used some of Bev's advice and shown Grace to a few people in my life that I truly feel have wronged me. And through lots of prayer and God's goodness those relationships are beginning to be healed with proper boundaries.
Finally, to today's study:
I am always asking the Lord to bless those on my heart as I pray, and these verses truly let me understand what a blessing is suppose to be:
-bless and keep them (favor and protect)
-make his face shine upon them (be pleased)
-be gracious (merciful and compassionate)
-turn his face toward them (give his approval)
-give peace
May each of you have a blessed Saturday. Love to All!!
Yes, a valentine birthday girl, for sure, Angie has so much love in her beautiful heart. Happy birthday, and blessed year to you, my dear friend!
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful news, Bev, about Britt receiving the scholarship. I know that is about the peace He brings you to know Britt will be well taken care of.
And the beautiful blessing we closed with today...As a child and still, when I attend a Methodist church, this is often the benediction the minister says.
Yes, Mary Lou, more of Him, more of Him. I had a friend with cancer and when asked how we could pray for her, her answer always was "more faith." I learned a lot from her genuine perspective, and I am touched by your heart, in the midst of struggle, Mary Lou, to want more of Him.
Shalom.
Annette
Mary Lou, His Shalom. Love that visual. And, sweet sister, you can trust God to work in your son's life. No better place for this work than at God's Holy Altar. I know how painful that is, bringing him there and laying him there. Don't pick him back up. Let God do His work. Receive him back when it is time.
ReplyDeleteAng, may God work HIS Security in your life and and in the life of your need right now. This very moment.
I, too, love this blessing and have had it spoken over me many times at the end of a church service by a former pastor. God's Word is full of blessings and I pray He will bless each of us, so much that He blesses our socks right off of us.
But let's be a blessing to Him, too. Read Psalm 145 and offer blessings up to our Most High God.
I'm NUMBERed as belonging to God. So glad He counts us as a body of believers, but also His "sparrow" that His Eye is continually on, caring for, and loving dearly.
Little sparrows,
let us depend moment by moment on His Grace and Providence.
Let us love Him beyond beyond.
Let us faithfully cling to His Finger and Sing to Him.
I love Him and I am clinging to His Finger.
You know, people unceasingly enact comments when anything is predicted to take place in 2012, like “fairly that is if the world is hush here.” You do realize that the Mayans predict the world will finish on Dec. 21 (or 23rd)? So in all good chance if anything is affluent to happen in 2012 there is solitary the slimmest chance that the everybody will secure ended already it happens.
ReplyDelete[url=http://2012earth.net
]2012 end of world
[/url] - some truth about 2012