The Priestly Prayer 2: The Lord Keep You

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-25

Yesterday, we started a conversation about the priestly prayer of Aaron and how it holds deeper meaning for us. Our focus yesterday was on the first line where the priest says ‘the Lord bless you’.

The second line of this prayer, “And keep you,”. When we are blessed by God, there can be a tendency to think that we can keep ourselves—that our own efforts and abilities are sufficient to sustain us. However, the story of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 reminds us of the folly of relying solely on our own resources and strength.

The rich fool believed that his abundant harvests and wealth would secure his future, but he failed to recognize that true security and provision come from God alone. In the same way, we must acknowledge that only God can truly keep and protect us. Our own efforts are insufficient to guard against the trials and challenges of life.

As Christians, it is essential that we place our trust in God’s ability to keep us. This involves surrendering our lives and circumstances to His care and entrusting ourselves into His loving hands. We must acknowledge our dependence on Him for our daily provision, protection, and preservation.

Prayer plays a vital role in this process. As we pray, we acknowledge our reliance on God and invite His presence and protection into our lives. We can pray for God’s keeping power to surround us and shield us from harm. We can trust that He is faithful to His promises, and will never leave us nor forsake us.

We must make it our prayer that the Lord will keep us as He blesses us. We must also entrust ourselves into His loving care, knowing that His protection is sure and His provision is abundant. As we place our trust in Him, we will experience His peace that surpasses all understanding and His presence that guides us through every trial and challenge.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for your promise to keep me and protect me. Help me to trust in your divine protection and provision for my life. As you bless me, may I continually seek your keeping power to surround me and shield me from harm. I acknowledge my dependence on you and entrust myself into your loving care. Keep me safe in your arms, O Lord, and lead me in your paths of righteousness, in Jesus’ name.