As summer is drawing to a close and fall is being ushered in, it brings an inverted awareness to a lot of people.  Spring brings in new life and fall the retiring of that life. But, at least in America, fall means that many things are just beginning–school, clubs, programs, etc.  And, in this funny upside down way, I would like to report that our Community Classes began again last Tuesday.  It is always so wonderful to get together with friends and neighbors, and also meet new ones.  If having fun while helping others sounds like a good time to you, see our Community Classes announcement below, and consider how you would like to get involved.

Face to Face

“The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:26 (NASB)

We are on the last couplet of the priestly blessing found here in Numbers 6.  This week we will talk about the portion, “the LORD lift up His countenance on you.”  This is a quite literal rendering of the Hebrew, and is a little difficult to understand as such.  My opinion is that it is a colloquialism of sorts.  But, for me it adds richness and a little grit to the Scripture, bringing it down to earth.  The NIV translates this as, “the LORD turn his face toward you.”  Either way, it speaks of a person to person relationship with God, even face to face.  

This got me thinking, how could God lift up his face to see us, if he in all ways is infinitely greater and higher than us?  But, then my kids answered that for me.  I love to pick up my children, hold them, talk to them face to face.  And if I don’t pick them up, I like to kneel down, closer to their level.  As we saw previously through this blessing that a progression of relationship is being established.  (Click here for previous posts.)  The goal of this blessing is that God wants to establish his peace in the lives of his people, but the pathway is through relationship.  His love is such that not only does he hold us securely in his arms, he also became a man in the person of Jesus and lived among us.  He has made every way for us to know him face to face.

Grace and peace,

Brook