October 9, 2021 -- Numbers 6:24-26 -- The Beauty of His Peace

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

Shalom. It is the final blessing in a benediction loaded with blessings. Shalom is one of those beautiful, complicated Hebrew words that is packed with meaning. Shalom is life and peace. Shalom is security in the presence of our LORD. Shalom is the absence of hostility between God and His people. Shalom is God’s gift whereby a joy-filled community of believers of various opinions and strident convictions are all drawn together in Jesus Christ, Who is the Prince of Peace.

We were separated from God our Father because of His great and just anger against our sin. Notice the great assurance of God’s blessing, how is it applied to us who are in Christ:
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:13-18 ESV
In that lengthy quotation, you can see how the peace given us in Christ is explained to believers. An extravagant blessing indeed. Shalom.

  THOU INCOMPREHENSIBLE
   BUT PRAYER-HEARING GOD,
Known, but beyond knowledge,
revealed, but unrevealed,
my wants and welfare draw me to thee,
for thou hast never said, ‘Seek ye me in vain’.
To thee I come in my difficulties, necessities,
distresses;
possess me with thyself,
with a spirit of grace and supplication,
with a prayerful attitude of mind,
with access into warmth of fellowship,
so that in the ordinary concerns of life
my thoughts and desires may rise to thee,
and in habitual devotion I may find a resource
that will soothe my sorrows, sanctify my successes,
and qualify me in all ways for dealings with my fellow men.
I bless thee that thou hast made me capable
of knowing thee, the author of all being,
of resembling thee, the perfection of all excellency,
of enjoying thee, the source of all happiness.
O God, attend me in every part of my arduous
and trying pilgrimage;
I need the same counsel, defence, comfort
I found at my beginning.
Let my religion be more obvious to my conscience,
more perceptible to those around.
While Jesus is representing me in heaven,
may I reflect him on earth,
While he pleads my cause,
may I show forth his praise.
Continue the gentleness of thy goodness
towards me,
And whether I wake or sleep,
let thy presence go with me,
thy blessing attend me.
Thou hast led me on and I have found thy promises true,
I have been sorrowful, but thou hast been my help,
fearful, but thou hast delivered me,
despairing, but thou hast lifted me up.
Thy vows are ever upon me,
And I praise thee, O God!
"God Enjoyed" The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Ed. Arthur Bennett. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust. page 18

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