May God be gracious
to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, [Selah]
Psa 67:2 that your way may be known
upon earth, your saving power among all nations. Psa 67:3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Psa 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. [Selah]
Psa 67:5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Psa 67:6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
Psa 67:7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
This
is the Psalm set for tomorrow (Easter 6). It is a song of praise, to be sung responsively
between a leader and a congregation. The song opens with a summarised version
of the benediction of Numbers 6:24-26, which invokes God’s blessing. Then the
request is repeated in closing “May God continue to bless us”.
The
idea of God blessing us is an important, if greatly misunderstood, teaching of
our faith. We all ask for God’s blessing – with little thought about what we
are asking. We assume our right to ask God for blessing, and assume that God
ought to bless us! In fact, we get annoyed when we see other people appearing
to be ‘more blessed that me’. We might
even be tempted to complain ‘Why her?’
So
here’s the thing: God is God, and we cannot prescribe to God. If God chooses to
bless, or God chooses not to bless – that is a Godly prerogative. The first
lesson to be learned is that God blesses whom God chooses, when God chooses,
for the reasons God chooses.
The
second lesson is one of extravagance: We are blessed, not because we have deserved
it, but rather we are blessed in spite of
our unfaithfulness. The surprising thing is that God chooses to bless at all. God's
blessings are gracious, surprising, unexpected gifts.
So
the invitation for today: prepare for Sunday by reading through the above
Psalm. Read it aloud, slowly and with gratitude. If you can find another person
to share this experience – even better. And go into Sunday with a spirit of
gratitude for blessings you have experienced.
May God continue to bless us!
- There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above. - Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead. - There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain. - There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word. - There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call! - There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
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