How to Bless Your Children

“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “‘“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.”’ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them” (NIV). Here is one of those times I prefer the King James Version of the Scriptures because it captures what is literally said in verse 27, “And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them” (KJV). I hope you caught that – Literally, God says to his priests, "Put my name upon the ​ children​ - and I will bless them!” This prayer for our kids involves parents in placing not only their hands upon their children but more importantly, the name of God upon their children. The personal physical contact of parents with their children during this blessing is a tangible reminder to our kids of our love and encouragement to them. It is also a tangible reminder of the Almighty's touch as well. Don't miss the richness of what it means to be a family priest – doing that for your kids is an incredible encouragement to them! It is also important to note in this passage that while the blessing is pronounced​ by the priest, it is not the priest who ​ performs​ the blessing. Aaron, while he might raise his hands and speak the words, was never the real ​ blesser​ . So, too, for Christian parents, the promise of God is that He is the one who actually blesses our children, as He smiles and shines upon them. This adds a confidence to the practice of blessing our children that empowers and transforms all our parenting. 4