I bless you to live all
Your days under the right hand
Of God’s favor. When times are hard,
May God create a way in the wilderness for you.
When times are dry,
May He provide rivers in the desert for you (Isa. 43:19).
When times are uncertain,
May God cover you with favor as with a shield (Ps. 5:12).
When it’s time for work,
May the favor of the Lord our God be upon you
And establish the work of your hands (Ps. 90:17).
In all of life, may you grow
In wisdom, stature, and favor
With God and people everywhere (Luke 2:52).
* * *
Part of today’s blessing is excerpted from the parting blessing in my new book, The Power to Bless, releasing February 2 (Baker Books). Pre-order it todayand you’ll get a free audiobook!
The intriguing Ephraim and Manasseh blessing (which I explain fully in my new book) has puzzled rabbis and commentators for millennia. For thousands of years, Jewish fathers have faithfully blessed their boys with the words, “God make you as Ephraim and Manasseh” and, yet, it has remained a mystery. Why Ephraim and Manasseh? They are so obscure – and that is the point. It’s not about the boys. It’s about the patriarch Jacob who crossed his arms and placed the strong right hand (symbolizing the greater blessing) on the younger one’s head. It’s a picture of what God has done for us! To say, “God make you as Ephraim and Manasseh” is to say, “God’s unmerited favor be upon you.” And that’s the Gospel! |
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