The Benediction

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.  

In our church, the Benediction comes at the very end of the service.  It is my favorite part of going to church (and not because it means church is over).  I love the singing - a lot - and hearing wonderful sermons from our pastor, and I enjoy taking communion, but the Benediction is the best.  Hearing the pastor say this is having him give me Jesus and his perfect grace.


The Lord blesses me with the Holy Spirit and gives me a deeper faith.  He will keep me near as that faith persists in me.  
It is good to have the shining light of the Lord on me - He is the light of the world.  Even here on Earth His face shines on me as He graciously gives me all good things. 
The Lord's countenance is His true nature - a father who loves me - and the peace that He gives me is not just a happy feeling, but a profound peace possible only between God and His children. 


Sometimes hearing the Benediction gives me goosebumps.  I stand before God with a twisted, dark heart.  I've sinned and hurt people and haven't put my love for the Lord first.  It doesn't matter if a harsh word or jealous feeling or an unkind thought or lie of omission was accidental or intentional, it's sin.  Even with all those faults that come flooding to the forefront as I stand in worship and confess my sins, my Lord still grants me blessings, grace, and peace.  Who am I to deserve that kind of forgiveness...and then perfect love on top of it?  When God looks at my heart, He first sees Jesus who died for my sins.  Jesus, who was perfect and sinless, is the filter through which God looks at my soul... a soul that then turns pure in His sight.  Praise the Lord! 

With these words I happily leave worship and go out to be a wife, mother, daughter, teacher, sister, and friend with His face shining upon me.  Grace and peace indeed are mine.