August 11 Psalm 67 God's Expansive Blessings

Dearest e-votees,

Our appointed Psalm for this coming Sunday, the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, is Psalm 67.

I encourage you to give it a read before we continue on with this devotion.  If you don't have a Bible handy you can read it in a variety of translations at www.biblegateway.com. Go ahead, this e-vo will be here when you get back.

Peace,

Karl

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What struck you as you read that psalm?  One of the things that catches me is how closely the opening verse:  May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, (NRSV) aligns with the Aaronic Blessing (Numbers 6:24-26):  The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine up you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. (NRSV)   I have always loved speaking that blessing over the gathered saints at the end of a worship service.  They are the words that Aaron was instructed to speak over the Israelites.  These words carry gravitas and grace; benevolence and blessing.  

Psalm 67 makes the move to expand the Aaronic Blessing to stretch beyond the boundaries of the Israelite community to the ends of the world.  The move is from an egocentric blessing for just us to a blessing more akin to Tiny Tim's "God bless us everyone!"

At one time God's blessing and choosing seemed to be particularly for one people group.  Jesus even seems to speak to that end in this Sunday's appointed gospel lesson.  But the move has been that those who have been blessed are now sent and called to bring that blessing to bear on others.  How have you been blessed by God?  How might you be a bearer of that blessing to others that may happen your way or to whom God might send you?  

God of blessing and favor.  Thank you and send us.  And shape our hearts and minds to let others bear your blessings and favor to us as well.  God bless us everyone.  Amen.