Numbers 6  Most of this chapter has to do with the Nazarite vow.. for those who wanted to dedicate themselves for a special time to the Lord.  It involved abstaining from anything that came from grapes; no shaving or cutting their hair; and not going near anyone who died... even a family member.  A woman or a man could take this vow.  Both Samson and Samuel were called to be Nazarites from birth.

The end of chapter 6 gives us a wonderful prayer that the priests were to pray over the people of Israel:

"May Adonai bless you and keep you

May Adonai make his face shine on you

and show you his favor.

May Adonai lift up his face toward you

and give you peace."

The Lord said, "In this way they are to put my name on the people of Israel, so that I will bless them." 

In this day and age we use the word "bless" as a kind of a spontaneous response... "bless you" to someone who sneezes .. or "bless your heart" to someone who has a little problem.  We might even say "God bless you" to someone who has done something kind or thoughtful.  But, the power of this blessing goes far beyond those things.  "To put God's name on" someone... that is a powerful thing!

Let us pray that the Lord our God will bless and keep- guard, protect, attend to, hedge around - our loved ones; our neighbors; our church; our nation...

Let us pray that the Lord our God will "shine His face" on us and on others - as Psalm 80:3 says "O God restore us, and cause Thy face to shine upon us and we will be saved." There is only darkness when God turns His face away.... so we pray that His Light will shine on us as He turns His face in our direction. 

Let us pray for God to be gracious - to show His favor, His kindness, His mercy... His pity on people, those we know and those we don't. 

Let us pray for the Lord our God to "lift up His face"  towards us - to see us; to make His Presence known to us.. to those in our world who are lost without hope... that they might know the God who loves them. 

Let us pray that the Lord our God will give peace - wholeness, happiness, health, safety, rest - to an anxious, troubled world.. to the person in front of us at the store; to the sick and poor; to all of us. 

God Himself ordained this prayer.  He commanded that it be spoken over His people.  Do you suppose He might just answer it?

Father, we want Your Name to be exalted and lifted up.  We want Your name to be over us, on us, in us, and glorified through our words and actions.  We do ask that You would bless us and keep us. That You would shine Your face on us and be gracious to us.  We do ask that You would lift up Your face towards us and give us peace.  And we ask all of this in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.