Devotion 8 in the series Favorite Bible Verses: Numbers 6:24-26, The Lord bless you and keep you

A Father’s Blessing: When You Need a Stamp of Approval

Inside: A father’s blessing can be very powerful. Whether you had a loving father or not, God stands ready to offer you his blessing, which is beyond compare!

This post may contain affiliate links. See our full disclosure here.

A Father's Blessing: When You Need a Stamp of ApprovalPhoto by Lauren Lulu Taylor on Unsplash

I don’t often give dads enough play on Digging Deeper with God, but what our dads think of us can make us or break us. If your dad failed you, please keep reading, because do I ever have good news for you!

Several months before my dad died, in the middle of our weekly small talk on the phone, he said, “I’m proud of you.” I remember my throat catching as I tried to keep talking without him knowing I was tearing up. Dad’s words seemed out of place and random at the time, but, of course, nothing is random with God! Consider that I was middle aged by then, and it was important enough to me that I am relating it to you several years later!

When my dad died, I had no doubt where I stood with him.

Dad was an engineer, but he also had a sentimental, artistic side. He had a way with words, and in my 30s I was the beneficiary of his sentimental literary talents. In the mail arrived an envelope with a letter (remember those?), and after he died, I found the letter and placed it safely in a scrapbook. You’ll see why I kept it:

Today I did a Christine Rain Watch

See, we got back from the vacation trip yesterday and today while we were all relaxed and finishing lunch it started to rain very heavily right straight down.

I walked to the front screen and looked out and couldn’t resist opening it up and stepping outside under the roof and just standing there watching it rain.

Then it occurred to me that for the entire first half of my life I always considered rain as an interruption to whatever else I wanted to do.

That was before you came along and enjoyed rain so much. Then I appreciated it too.

I stood there and looked at the rain and thought how very much I enjoy you, not just because of the father/child thing, but because of who and what you are as a person.

It was a really nice rain today, coming right straight down, with just a little mist swirling around the front roof so you could feel it on your face.

It was a genuine Christine Rain Watch.

Love

Dad

Dads, don’t ever think it is too late to bless your children–to tell them what they mean to you, to speak life into them. Your words and actions count, and they can propel your sons and daughters on a path to a fulfilling, constructive life.

What if you didn’t have a loving Christian father, much less one who blessed you in a positive way?

Despite the failings of our dads here on this earth, our heavenly Father has a blessing for you that is beyond compare!

As the Israelites were setting up camp in the wilderness of Sinai, God told Aaron and his sons to speak a specific blessing over the people of Israel, and it is intended for us even today. Let this blessing from your Father God wash over you:

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 ESV)

Check out what God says in the very next verse: “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Take that in–really take it in. If you believe in Jesus, God has grafted you into the family of God, so God has put His name on you, and He blesses you.

Look at the blessing again: Three times, the priests were to speak the name of the holy, eternal God over the people, and the blessing was meant very personally for each individual. One writer explains it this way:

Though given to the entire congregation, this blessing is personal; the Hebrew word “you” is singular, not plural. The very name of God invoked upon “you” personally!!! The holy, holy, holy God (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8) is blessing, blessing, blessing (Num 6:24-26) “you.” (ReformedAnswers.org)

Centuries later, Jesus confirmed God the Father’s love for you:

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11 ESV)

God will give you good things, and Luke clarifies that one of those gifts is the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)! Our Father in heaven loves us so much that He gives us a part of Himself to reside inside of us to guard, comfort, and intercede for us.

The passage from Numbers is called the Aaronic blessing, and I encourage you to commit it to memory: Figuratively place it securely in the scrapbook of your heart. On days when life is just too much to take or when you don’t remember where you stand, recall God’s blessing of you and remember that you are the apple of His eye. He is proud of you, and He knows all the little things that make you happy. Let His father’s blessing wash over you and fill you with everything you need.

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 ESV)

Who can you bless with your words today?

A Father's Blessing: When You Need a Stamp of ApprovalDigging Deeper: A Father’s Blessing

If you want to dig deeper into God’s Word, work through these questions now or throughout the week.

1. In what ways did your earthly father bless you or fail you? Spend time talking with the Lord about this, letting him reveal those joys and pains. Where your father failed you, consider working through a process of forgiveness, letting your heavenly Father heal those hurts. This may take months or even years, but with God as your guide, it is possible.

2. What does it mean to you that God blesses you and keeps you, that he makes his face to shine upon you and that he is gracious to you, and that he looks on you and gives you peace? Talk about a jam-packed blessing! Choose one of these aspects to focus on and thank God for blessing you in that way.

3. Who can you bless today with your words, whether spoken or written? Did someone come to mind the minute you read that? It might be a family member, friend, or coworker. How will you give the blessing, and what will you say?

Praise and Worship

Remind yourself of your heavenly Father’s blessing as you worship with these songs.

Good Good Father (Chris Tomlin)

God of Wonders (Third Day)

Favorite Bible Verses!

Find devotions on more favorite Bible verses here! There, you will find devotions on Psalm 118:24, Lamentations 3:21-24, Luke 2:35, Philippians 4:13, Romans 1:16, Jeremiah 29:11, and John 10:27-28. Enjoy these articles and more at the website!

Share Button
Print

Comments

  1. Dawn says:

    Dad told me several times he was proud of his children and what they grewup to be…..and then he died in May.

    • Digging Deeper with God says:

      That’s really neat that your dad made a point to say that to you. So many dads don’t think to say it out loud or put it in writing. I wonder if our fathers have found each other in heaven! I know they didn’t know each other here on the earth, but don’t you wonder if they’re talking engines or tractors or something? That makes me smile thinking of that. I hope you are doing all right. My heart is with you.

  2. Nancy Adams says:

    A beautiful reminder of a message dear to my heart! So many today need to hear this! Thank you for taking the time to share His love!

  3. Erin says:

    What a sweet reminder of the influence of fathers! Dads are SO IMPORTANT, no matter what season of life! Thanks for the encouragement today! 🙂

    • Digging Deeper with God says:

      Thank you for reading! It’s surprising how much they mean to us even as adults! God’s blessings to you today.

  4. What a great example and blessing your dad left for you! So excited to see you sure about the importance of the father’s words and how they can build up.

    • Digging Deeper with God says:

      Thank you! Yes, our words mean so much. Nail between the eyes here tonight! It makes me smile to think how God gently reminded me of this principle. Thank you for reading!

  5. Thank you for this powerful reflection and the Aaronic blessing. My father died of cancer when i was 16 and although I know he loved me, he was the silent stoic type who never shared his heart. i now know after all these years i have both my earthly and heavenly father’s blessing and am passing it on to my four children. your reflection was a gift from God i needed today. thank you.

Join the Conversation

Your email address will not be published.

Custom Wordpress theme by Jeff Roberts Web Design

Show
Hide