Christian Leadership Training Institute

1-1-13-Sharing a Blessing

(Num. 6:24-26)
"The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace."

A blessing was one way of asking for God's divine favor to rest upon others.  The ancient blessing in these verses helps us understand what a blessing was supposed to do.  It's five parts conveyed hope that God would (1) bless and keep them (favor and protect); (2) make his face shine upon them (be pleased); (3) be gracious (merciful and compassionate); (4) turn his face toward them (give his approval); (5) give peace when you ask God to bless others or yourself, you are asking him to do these five things.  The blessing you offer will not only help the ones receiving it, it will also demonstrate love, encourage others, and provide a model of caring to others.

(2 Kings 4:6)
"When all the jars were full. she said to her son, Bring me another one."

God's provision was as large as their faith and willingness to obey.  Beware of limiting God's blessings by a lack of faith and obedience.  God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

Goals

Participants may:

1.  Remember God's control of their lives and the world.

2.  Practice with class members the skill of constructing a blessing.

3.  Gain familiarity with the variety of blessings available to Christian trainers.

4.  Experience Christian community with the class.

Opening Prayer

God, our merciful Father, your hand is on our head as you bless us with love and exude concern for our needs.  Help us become instruments of your blessing to others so that in the end, we may come to the fullness of your glory and see with our eyes what we now believe in our hearts.  Amen.

Lead-In

The Exodus, the ark, Elijah and the prophets of Baal, the stilling of the storm, feeding 5000 people with almost no food, the death and resurrection of Jesus - all of these events and many, many more are sources of strength and blessing to us.  When we recall them. we are reassured of Goal's faithfulness, of his loving and wise rule in the world.

Sharing a benediction is one way of linking a person with the whole history of God's saving acts.  It is a means of helping individuals find the faith they need to carry on.  It is a wonderful tool of Christian ministry.

Sharing a Blessing

In a previous lesson I noted that you might not always want to use prayer for ending a visit.  In the Judeo-Christian tradition, however, there is another distinctive technique that more aptly applies to such occasions - a blessing or benediction.

The Latin root of benediction simply means "well-saying."  In this sense, benedictions also abound in the secular world.  "have a good day." people say.  "Take it easy."  "Keep your chin up."  These are all benedictions of a sort.  When taking leave. they are ways of wishing that all might go well with the other.  One of the more commonly used "benedictions" has religious roots.  To say "good-bye" is to use a contracted form of "God be with you."

There is an important difference, however, between secular benedictions and religious ones.  "Take it easy."  "Hang in there." and "Keep your chin up" all imply action on the part of the person to whom the farewell is extended, as though that person were responsible for the day going well.  Christian benedictions, on the other hand, contain no such demand.  They are professions of faith that the outcome of the day is in the hands of God.  God's action is the foundation of the Christian benediction "The Lord bless you..."  "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ..."  "The peace of God...".

These are all expressions of grace.  God blesses you; you don't bless you.  A benediction proclaims that God has you in his care and is responsible for your well-being.  In  this sense benedictions are remembering tools.  They remind the bestower and the recipient alike that God is present and He is in control.  Christian benedictions carry greater impact and bring comfort because you are acting in God's place, assuring people that God will continue to be at their side.  In offering a benediction you can make the presence of God even more real to the other person.  In essence, you are saying, "I am leaving you, but God will continue to be with you and in control."

How to Bless

Just as timing is important when praying or using Scripture, so it is important when you deliver God's blessing.  Most often, blessings or benedictions will be appropriate at the close of a visit, but you might decide that a blessing is called for in the middle of the visit or at some other time.  There might be other times when you determine that a blessing is inappropriate.  Ask yourself:  What is the other person's need?  Would a blessing be appreciated and natural at this time?

When you decide it might be appropriate to use a benediction, you could lead into it by saying, "Before I go, if you like, I would like to share a blessing with you."

As you share blessings with people, physical touch can be important.  You can grasp the person's hand or put your hand on an arm.  Your touch can be a natural expression of the intimacy the two of you share at that moment as you stand before God, ready to receive the gift of his care.  Touch is especially beneficial for those whose other senses might be handicapped - the aged, the infirm, the comatose, or the heavily sedated.  If you feel stiff and awkward with touch, though, you might be better off not doing it.  Your reluctance could be sensed by the other and detract from the blessing.

The Form of the Blessing

You have a broad range of options as to the specific benediction you use, and your choice can vary from one situation to another.  As an aid in using this resource, you might want to write out one or more benedictions before a visit.  Mark them in your Bible if you carry one, or better still, memorize several.  You can be formal or informal in your choice of benediction.  Use whatever is appropriate.

Formal, stylized benedictions have their advantages.  For instance, the familiar words of "The Lord bless you and keep you..."  can be a great comfort to the person who has heard them week after week at the close of worship services.  Here is a sampling of some of the more formal biblical benedictions you might find opportunities to use:

Informal or extemporaneous benedictions are also appropriate and have their own advantages.  If you are a layperson, you might feel uncomfortable using a formal, liturgical benediction.  And if a caring situation happens to take place over a cup of coffee in a restaurant, a formal benediction could seem a bit out of place.  Informal benedictions can be tailored to special needs and at times might even be more meaningful.  For example:

Speak these as seriously as you would the more formal or lengthy blessings, rather than in a casual or flip manner.

The situation, the person's needs, and your own preference will determine your choice of benediction.  Whether you decide to be formal or informal, speak with conviction.  Benedictions are not casual good-byes said halfway out the door, nor should they serve as a formula with which to conveniently conclude a visit.  When you yourself are assured that the person really is in the hands of God, that assurance will come across in the blessing you speak.

Homework

1. Has anyone ever given you the popular, secular benediction, "Have a good day?"  What were some of your feelings when this was said to you?
2. Think about some of the Christian benedictions people have given you both in a formal (worship service, church, or similar) setting and in an informal setting (after talking with a friend, in passing, and so on).  Which ones meant the most to you?  What made them special?
3. How might hurting people be helped if they are reminded that their day is in the hands of God?  How might they be harmed?
4. Can you think of some examples of times when it might be appropriate to share a blessing other than at the end of your time with another person?
5. Take a look at the "secular" blessings.  Can you edit and revise these or some other everyday secular benedictions so they have a distinctively Christian flavor?  For example, how might this be accomplished with "Have a good day"?  What about others?
6. Constructing a Benediction-7-8 minutes
   For the next few minutes do some creative thinking.  Construct a benediction of your own.  You might wish to refer to the course for some help.  Ready?  Begin?
7. Remembering a Blessing-Turing the next eight to ten minutes share with the class a time when God really blessed you.
8. Now take the next eight to ten minutes to share with the class a time when someone shared a type of blessing or benediction with you and it was meaningful to you.
9. Situational Benedictions-In this exercise, spend 10 minutes alone, thinking of two people you know who are hurting or in need.  Either find in the Bible or construct a benediction appropriate in each.  Keeping confidential any identifying information, share a little background information for one of your benedictions.  Then read the benediction to the class.  You may went to start again and share the second situation and benediction.  You have 15 minutes.

[ Home ] [ Up ]

Send mail to george0361@netzero.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: June 09, 2000