Palms Up: Receiving the Blessing

from Guideposts, 40 Devotions for Lent

All too frequently, as I put down my hymnal and turn my hands palms-up to receive the blessing, I wince; I find my hands already full.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. — Numbers 6:24-26 KJV

In the closing moments of the Sunday morning service, our pastor raises his arms toward Heaven and calls down the blessing of the Lord upon all of us in the congregation. I bow my head in the contemplative prayer that has become for me a pre-blessing ritual.

I am a greedy child of God — I want every blessing, every gift the Lord has for me; I want nothing within me to hinder His giving or my receiving.

All too frequently, as I put down my hymnal and turn my hands palms-up to receive the blessing, I wince; I find my hands already full. Sometimes my fists are clenched, white knuckled, in unresolved anger, as they were the week a hit-and-run driver fatally injured our small calico cat. Sometimes I find myself holding on to brooding resentments over words spoken to me in the heat of an argument; or worse, I may be holding on to the guilt of harsh words I’ve spoken to others. Sometimes I’m clutching habitual worries I thought I’d let go the previous Sunday, only to find that through the days that followed I’ve picked them up again.

So I begin my weekly ritual of letting go:

In these moments, Lord, I empty my hands and open them to You.

I let go of anger; fill and bless me with Your love.

I let go of guilt; fill and bless me with forgiveness.

I let go of self-pity; fill and bless me with a grateful heart.

I let go of worries and fear; fill and bless me with trust.

I let go of the hurts of the past; fill and bless me with the promise of the present.

Bless me and keep me, Lord.

Let Your face shine upon me, uphold me, and give me peace. —Fay Angus

Digging Deeper: Psalm 84:11; Isaiah 40:31; James 1:17

Are you a greedy child of God? What a fantastic description of a Christian who wants more of God and more of every blessing He has to offer!