The LORD bless you and keep you … - Numbers 6:24

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 17, 2015): Numbers 6

Canadian Politician Justin Trudeau recently became the target of Canadian musician and celebrity interviewer “Nardwuar the Human Serviette.” (Or known by his more pedestrian name of origin, John Rushkin. Rushkin legally changed his name to “Nardwuar the Human Serviette” in 1986. In case you are wondering what the name means, Rushkin explains it this way – “Nardwuar” is just a dumb, stupid name like Sting or Sinbad; “Human” comes from a Cramps song called “Human Fly”; and “Serviette” is because in the United States they don’t call them Serviettes, they call them napkins. Now you know.) Nardwuar attacked Trudeau on what he called his “Rock and Roll Heritage.” It has been a familiar theme during the Canadian election campaign leading up to this fall election. Justin Trudeau, unlike most people in our culture, never really seems to have had to struggle for anything. Even this current run for Prime Minister seems to be coming to him without any effort on the part of Trudeau to “pay his dues” in Canadian Politics. Nardwuar doesn’t use the word, but you can almost hear him say “Mr. Trudeau, you are blessed.”

But the use of the word “blessed” in this case doesn’t really apply. In common usage we have taken this word and made it to mean almost the same thing as “charmed.” You are lucky. You are wealthy and good looking (according to his political opposition Trudeau has nice hair). You didn’t have to struggle to attain to success. You have led a life that most can only dream of – you are blessed. Except that the actual meaning of the word doesn’t include any of that. The root of the word “blessed” is simply “something that has been placed in the care of the divine.” The opening of this blessing that is to be pronounced continuously over Israel is actually written in typical Jewish parallelism – in other words, both segments of this opening line say exactly the same thing. “The Lord bless you” carries the identical meaning as “The Lord keep you.”

Our reality is that we serve a God who can’t wait to bless us. Most of us will never be wealthy. Most of us will experience health issues. Most of us will go through times of emotional and physical distress. But even in those times we can be blessed, because we can be assured that God is carrying us through to the end. Our lives have been placed in his hands, and no matter what happens here, our circumstances won’t change that one fact. And One of the most important times to remember that we are blessed is precisely when we are going through the struggle. In fact, I would advise you to watch some of the Christian Saints that surround us. Because I want to be like them. Even though life deals a blow, they continue on … knowing that they are secure in the hands of God

So let me speak this blessing over you and your day. Know that it comes from a God who can’t wait to bless you.

May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord turn his face toward you … and give you peace.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 7