The benediction prayer

https://odb.org/2025/02/13/never-overlooked

Numbers 6:24-26 NIV – 24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.

The benediction prayer is the common way for the pastor of the church to end the Sunday service. It is a blessing prayer, praying for God’s blessings to be upon the people as they depart for their homes after the service. It speaks of God’s blessings to be upon the people for the coming week as they go through life, and when they congregate again for service next Sunday, the cycle repeats. In a way, it encourages the congregation to meet again in person at the next service, to worship the LORD together, to fellowship, and then to receive the blessing again from God as the pastor prays.

The benediction prayer using the words in Numbers 6:24-26 is called the Aaronic benediction. My pastor at our local church usually uses this prayer. There is also the Pauline benediction, which uses the words in 2 Corinthians 13:14 – May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

The benediction prayer highlights that our God is always looking out for us. We may feel invisible that no one cares about us. We may feel we are all alone. No one notices or bothers about us. But God does. He cares and loves us. Not only will He bless and keep us, but He will make His face shine upon us and be gracious towards us. In fact, He will turn His face towards us and give us peace. All the things we really want in life, the benediction prayer covers it all. This is because, in the end, what matters most is the blessings from our God, His grace, and His glory shining forth in our lives. In the process, we have peace from God. What more can we ask for in our lives? So long as He cares for us and takes care of us, we will be able to go through life victoriously in Christ Jesus! Our future is in His hands. Our destination is in eternal life, the new heaven and the new earth of Revelation 21.

This morning, it is my prayer for you and myself that the LORD our God, our Heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, will bless and keep you. That He will make His face shine on you and be gracious to you, that the LORD shall turn His face toward you and give you peace! May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you! Amen!