Good Shepherd Lutheran Church / Friday, August 6, 2021 / Categories: Publications, Daily Devotions Daily Devotion by Pr. Heidi Johns The Blessing is the last hymn I want to use in this week’s devotional. This hymn is based on the words Aaron, Moses’ brother, used to pronounce blessing on the people of Israel. They may sound very familiar to us because we use these words as our benediction at the end of our worship service. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26) According to the dictionary, a benediction is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance. The Latin prefix “bene” means good or well as in benefit or benefactor. The word diction means the pronouncement of words. Thus, a benediction or a blessing is pronounced at the end of the worship. However, benedictions and blessings were never just limited to use in worship. In the New Testament, Jesus pronounced blessings on people as did the authors of the many letters in the New Testament. In the Pauline letters, he often opens and closes his letters asking for blessings/benedictions to be upon his readers. But here is why a benediction/blessing is important to our lives. A benedictions give us God-sized expectations for our future. They help us focus on the gracious future that God wants for us. Benedictions also help us set our minds on God’s mind and God’s grace. You might say they direct our hearts to God’s heart so we can be rooted in it. Finally, a benediction does not conclude something it helps transition to something else. When a New Testament author gives a benediction at the end of letter, he gathers up the ideas of the letter, and reframes them as an expected blessing. They are like bridges, so they carry God’s hope, peace, encouragement into everyday life. The beauty of a benediction is that it invites us to hold out our hands in faith and receive God’s blessing, so we can take God’s promises and peace with us, no matter where we go. Please listen to The Blessing performed by some of the musicians of Good Shepherd and receive God’s blessing on your life reemembering God is for us! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIOvITshjmo&list=PLd-DolKcKwdu2Yq0CaVlEdfkLVcOcLBEP&index=55 Previous Article Daily Devotion by Pr. Heidi Johns Next Article Daily Devotion by Pr. Heidi Johns Print 6169 Rate this article: No rating Leave a comment Name: Please enter a name. Email: Please enter an email address. Please enter a valid email address. Comment: Please enter comment. I agree This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data. You must read and accept this rules. Add comment