The Bible records that God told the priests how to bless the people. He says in Numbers 6:23-26, “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.’”
This impartation comes from being face to face with God. He is always looking at you, so if you want to be face to face with God, all you have to do is turn and look to Him. Don’t hide your struggles and sin, but come to Him. And there is the Lord, lift ing up His countenance upon you and giving you shalom—His peace.
Then in the next verse, God says, “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
God blesses us with His name! He is our savior,our redeemer, our healer, our provider, our all-in-all, the Almighty, the all-sufficient One. When we look to Him, His names are put on us. For us as believers in Jesus, All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us (2 Corinthians 1:20).
As a benefit of salvation, God gives us His blessing and changes our name. We call ourselves Christians, and Christ means anointing—so we have taken the name of anointing on us.
I encourage fathers to do what the Orthodox Jewish community does every Shabbat. They gather their children, lay hands on them, pray over them, and bless them.
The answer to every spiritual problem is to look at the Lord face to face. Realize that we are His children and the sheep of His pasture—and He will guide us, direct us, and give us everything we need for this life. May God bless you!
Scripture is quoted from the NKJV. Excerpted from a teaching at CBN Staff Chapel.
