“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well please.” Luke 3:22
Who would not be profoundly impacted by words like the Father spoke to His Son in Luke 3? Imagine your earthly father speaking such powerful words over you. These are words that can have a transformational impact on any child.
Words are powerful. They can curse or bless. We know that the childhood verse we often heard or used as children, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me”, is a lie. Words can harm. Words of blessing can give a broken spirit new life.
When the Father spoke his blessing over His Son, Jesus, it was an intentional moment launching Jesus into His ministry for which He came, and declaring to all the Father’s pleasure in His Son. The Father also gave a powerful blessing to Aaron to speak over God’s people. It was to remind them who they were and whose they were. Aaron’s descendants we instructed to continue speaking this blessing for generations to come. Why? Because the Father wanted them to know that His Name was upon them and He delighted in blessing them. That blessing is found in Numbers 6: 24-26:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Grandparents, how well and often do you speak words of blessing like this over your grandchildren? While there is no biblical command directing us to speak blessing over our grandchildren (and children), we have so many powerful examples of it being done. If our heavenly Father felt it important, why would we question whether we should be doing it intentionally and often? What godly grandparent would not desire to speak words of blessings over their children and grandchildren as often as possible?
I recently interviewed Jim and Gwen Colfer on the Family Impact Podcast about the impact that the spoken blessing has had upon their family. I urge you to listen to that conversation, and to make a commitment to begin the practice of speaking blessing over your grandchildren and adult children as often as you can. Get our free Creating a Legacy of Blessing download on the web site to help you get started.
GRANDPAUSE: Ultimately, the question is not “Does it work?” but rather, “Should I open myself up to the mystery of what God wants to do in and through me by committing myself to the blessing?” Rolf Garborg, The Family Blessing
Calvin Harper is a graduate of Baylor University and Denver Seminary, Cavin Harper served as an associate pastor for 17 years before founding ElderQuest Ministrieswhich later became known as the Christian Grandparenting Network. He writes a weekly blog on grandparenting and has authored several books including Courageous Grandparenting: Building a Legacy Worth Outliving.
Featured Image by Franz Bachinger from Pixabay
In the post saying “there is know command from God that we are to speak blessings over our children” This is not true. The Word of God continuously says to live as Jesus did, does even today and to the end of the age. Seeing Jesus and God are”One” It is spoken to us repeatedly to speak blessings not only over our children but to our brothers, sisters and even our enemies. Jesus spoke blessings over even His own enemies, even in the simple statement “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” and these enemies were torturing Him and crucifying Him. We as true believers are to pray over our enemies with a fiersnouse. As wanting them to see and accept the truth of Jesus shedding His blood for the cover and forgiveness of our sins. This is the only reason God sent Jesus here as Himself in the flesh. It was to fullfil prophecy and to show and teach the truth of Who and What God truly is to us. The Word of God was given to us as a Love letter and a BLESSING from God. To lead us to Him.