"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."
What an amazing blessing! The LORD makes His face shine upon us...The Holy One, Creator of everything, THIS LORD makes His face shine upon us (the ones loaded down with guilt and shame and fears and sorrows of various kinds).
THIS LORD is gracious and gives peace.
THIS LORD came and lived and died and rose for us...He will surely bless and keep all who belong to Him.
As a parent, I have more than once taken the face of one of my downcast children and raised it up so they would have to look in my eyes ~ eyes that love them and want them to rest in that love. My love is imperfect, but God's is not and He has taken everything that could ever keep us downcast (our sins & their punishment, our sorrows, our shame, our fears/anxieties, our sicknesses, etc) and nailed them with Jesus on the cross...He has clothed us in His robes of righteousness, honored us beyond comprehension by adopting us, healed us, washed us, and He takes our faces into His hands & lifts our heads up so we can see His eyes filled with love for us. He makes His face to shine upon us!
Our family has been memorizing Philippians 4:8..."Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things." What a delight it is to do so...the downcast soon find themselves dancing before the LORD.
