Today’s Reading, Numbers 5-6
Focal Scripture: Numbers 6:24-26 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.”
How do you pray for others? That question, is one of the most eye opening doors into a persons heart that you will ever have in your life. Why? Because if you are unwilling to pray for someone, it shows that your heart is hanging onto bitterness and frustration. It is impossible to genuinely pray for a person and not have your heart bent towards them with compassion and understanding. Purposeful and intentional prayer changes hearts and minds.
In today’s reading we run into the Priestley blessing upon the nation of Israel. It starts off by saying may the Lord bless you and protect you, then that the Lords face will shine upon you and be gracious to you. Why? So the Lord can be gracious, show favor and give peace. This blessing was one of encouragement and honor. It was a blessing that focused on the mighty works of God and not man.
So how is your prayer life? Is it a life that focuses on the heart of God or yourself. This verse has taught us, that when you pray for others it is about what God can do in their life not what we want him to do in their life. This verse is all about the glory of God.
That is the challenge I have for you today. Diligently pray for others and ask God to bless them before they leave your presence or your life. Pray for them to be blessed and experience the Lord in new and powerful ways. Even if it that means your desires are put on hold for an extended amount of time.
Pray for others deeply, because only the Lord changes hearts and minds. I mentioned earlier about how your prayers for others reveals your attitude toward them. I can tell you from experience that your prayer life shows your spiritual maturity. When you pray for God to work in the hearts of other people it will change them and challenge your heart to know God better. Pray like the priest and bless others that are in your life.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Numbers 7
