May the Face of God Shine Upon You

I got a call last Monday from my dear Tennessee friend, Lori Long.  She was just calling to check in and we enjoyed catching up.  Before long our phones were on speaker as Les and Doug joined the conversation.  As we were saying goodbye, Les said, "the Lord bless you and keep you."  I piped in with "and make His face to shine upon you!"  Les looked at me a little questioning.  "It's in the Bible!" was my response.  Not only is it in the Bible, it was part of my Bible reading this morning.

Numbers 6:22-27 says:
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. 

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible says:
The priestly blessing is appointed as a solemn form to be used by the priests exclusively, and in this function their office as it were culminates. God Himself provides a formula, through which from time to time, as His people by obedience place themselves in true and right relationship to Him, the authorized mediators may pronounce and communicate His special blessing to them. It was a Jewish tradition that this blessing was given at the close of the daily sacrifice.
The structure of the blessing is remarkable. It is rhythmical, consists of three distinct parts, and mounts by gradual stages to that peace which forms the last and most consummate gift which God can give His people.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee - The second clause here, as in the other three verses, defines more closely the general tenor of the preceding one. The singular number, which is observed throughout, indicates that the blessing is conferred on Israel “collectively.”

Make his face shine - This is an enhancement of the preceding benediction. “The face of God” imports not merely God’s good will in general, but His active and special regard. With the “face” or “eye" of the Lord accordingly is connected alike the judicial visitation of the wicked, and His mercies to the righteous.

Lift up his countenance upon thee - especially direct His thought and care toward thee. Through such loving providence alone could the peace of God in which the blessing closes be given.

Put my name upon the children of Israel -  pronounce My Sacred Name over them in blessing them. God will give effect to the benediction pronounced by the priests.

I especially like the Pulpit Commentary on verse 25:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee. The "face" of God is his personality as turned towards man, or else turned away from him. His face hidden or turned away is despair and death; His face turned against man is destruction and death; His face turned upon man in love and mercy is life and salvation. It is to the soul of man what the blessed sun of heaven is to his body.

It may be raining or snowing where you are today.  The world as a whole seems gloomy and dark.  But the face of God still shines.  In the darkest times and darkest places, let His face shine on you!

Fear Not Them Which Kill the Body

I have another "fear not" by Jesus.  Matthew 10:28 says, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."  I thought this was an appropriate verse for this week as around the world people are concerned about COVID-19 and the destruction it is bringing to the bodies of mankind.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible explains that it is people, who can kill the body but not the soul:
That is, people, who have no power to injure the soul, the immortal part. The body is a small matter in comparison with the soul. Temporal death is a slight thing compared with eternal death. He directs them, therefore, not to be alarmed at the prospect of temporal death, but to fear God, who can destroy both soul and body forever.

The Biblical Illustrator by Joseph S. Exell, M.A. says this:
In showing what is in those miseries which men are able to inflict that may lessen our fears of them.
1. They are temporal, and concern only this life.
2. They do not take away anything from a man’s proper perfections.
3. They are all limited by God’s overruling hand.
 4. The good that may be extracted out of such miseries as are inflicted by men is often greater than the evil that is endured by them.
5. The fear of those evils seldom prevents them before they come, and never lessens them when they are come.
6. The all-knowing God, who knows the utmost of them better than men or angels, has pronounced them not to be feared.
7. The greatest of these evils have been endured, and that without fear or astonishment.

The Apostle Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

No matter what happens to our bodies, we can be comforted knowing that Jesus died and rose again.  We have a hope that is not of this world.  In 1873 Horatio Spafford wrote the words to "It Is Well With My Soul."  He was on a ship sailing to France to be reunited with his wife.  The ship his wife and four daughters were on had gone down and all his daughters perished.  He experienced great, great sorrow, but he said, "it is well with my soul."  Whatever my lot, I want to be able to say, "it is well with my soul."

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

P.S.  As are many others, we are having our church services online during this time.  You can listen live by going HERE on Sunday morning at 11:00 and Wednesday evening at 7:30.  Sunday morning's service has been archived, Pastor White preached a great message about "Overcoming the Bondage of Fear."  Scroll past the songs and you can listen to it if you need some extra encouragement today.

Wordless Wednesday Social Distancing Edition

Are you starting to miss people as much as I am? I decided I needed to revisit some good times! I've had lots of hugs in the past and I'm looking forward to more in the future!

These pictures are not in any particular order.  I just kept finding pictures that made me happy!!  If you have a blog, I encourage you to do the same.  It made my day and I think it will make yours, too.  If you don't have a blog, pull out your phone or your photo albums and spend some time revisiting good times.  Then pick up the phone and call someone.

I really need to stop!!  I have so many wonderful pictures because I'm blessed with a wonderful family and so many friends.  I may do this again next Wednesday. 

Are you staying home during this time?  Working from home?  Churching from home?  How's it going??