Verse of the Day 11/18
Psalm 80:18 b-19 give us life, and we will call upon your name!
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved! English Standard Version (ESV)
This morning in my devotions I read an article on Aaron's blessing in Numbers 6:
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance[a] upon you and give you peace. English Standard Version (ESV)
I concluded my devotions this morning by reading Psalm 80 where three times the psalmist call on the Lord to "let your face shine upon us that we may be saved".
I was reminded then of the Michael W. Smith song and recorded by Philips, Craig and Dean, "Shine on Us". It has three stanzas calling on God to supply, to shine His light, grace and love on us.
Many people will hear Aaron's benediction at the end of a church service this morning. It has been heard perhaps countless times by some of us and it is easy to overlook it or just to think of it as a reminder that the service is coming to an end and we can begin to get our jackets on and get ready to go.
It should not be taken lightly. If we are facing troubles, illness or heartache; or perhaps know others that are facing these things; may we call on God's light, grace and love in our lives and in the lives of others who need it especially today.
As we do so, we can be reminded of what Jesus went through to give us this. Jon Payne writes, "He (Jesus) experienced the very opposite of the Aaronic blessing. "The Lord curse you and forsake you; the Lord turn His face away from you and condemn you; the Lord pour out His wrath upon you". He took the weight of the world; all of our sin that God could shine His light, grace and love on us, that we may be saved. Praise Him ever in joyful song for it.
Love with no end
Come over us
Lord, let Your love
Love with no end
Come over us
That we may have life
To find our way in the darkest night
Let Your love come over us
Let Your light shine on us
-- In Christ, Mike Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
Psalm 80 New Living Translation (NLT)
Psalm 80
For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be sung to the tune "Lilies of the Covenant."
1 Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph's descendants like a flock.
O God, enthroned above the cherubim,
display your radiant glory
2 to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Show us your mighty power.
Come to rescue us!
3 Turn us again to yourself, O God.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
4 O Lord God of Heaven's Armies,
how long will you be angry with our prayers?
5 You have fed us with sorrow
and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
6 You have made us the scorn[a] of neighboring nations.
Our enemies treat us as a joke.
7 Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven's Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
8 You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
9 You cleared the ground for us,
and we took root and filled the land.
10 Our shade covered the mountains;
our branches covered the mighty cedars.
11 We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea;
our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River.[b]
12 But now, why have you broken down our walls
so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
13 The wild boar from the forest devours it,
and the wild animals feed on it.
14 Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven's Armies.
Look down from heaven and see our plight.
Take care of this grapevine
15 that you yourself have planted,
this son you have raised for yourself.
16 For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies.
May they perish at the sight of your frown.
17 Strengthen the man you love,
the son of your choice.
18 Then we will never abandon you again.
Revive us so we can call on your name once more.
19 Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven's Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
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