Down to Sleep

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.” – Numbers 6:25-26

This is a blessing God instructed Moses to say over His people. It’s so much better than the first blessing I can recall from childhood. Did someone pray this prayer over you before you went to bed at night?

Now I lay me down to sleep.

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake, 

I pray to God my soul to take. 

A friend of mine grew up praying this prayer at bedtime but she wouldn’t say “amen” at the end, because that way, she thought, God would still be listening to her even while she snoozed. She related prayer to being on the telephone with God. If she didn’t hang up, He would remain on the line and not answer her request to die. In the morning when her eyes popped open, she’d jump out of bed relieved that she was still alive and conclude the prayer with a grateful “Amen!”

When my kids were little, I refused to pray about their death before they slept. I wish I’d known Moses’ blessing back then. I think it’s a beautiful blessing we can pray over our children, our communities, and our country. This blessing has five hopes that God would:

1. Bless and keep them. 
2. Shine His face upon them.
3. Be gracious to them.
4. Turn His face toward them.
5. Give them peace.

When we pray this blessing, we’re asking God for His favor, protection, mercy, compassion, approval, and peace. When we seek God’s face, we’re really seeking His presence, His closeness, His guidance in our lives. 

Who comes to your mind that greatly needs this beautiful blessing?

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