When
I was a student worship leader at Calvin College, I noticed that near
the end of our worship services a number of students in the balcony
would duck out just before the benediction. The reason for that was
obvious: they wanted to get in the lunch line before most of the
other students filed out of the 1,000-seat auditorium.
But
this used to bother the college chaplain. He once said to me, “You
know, if the benediction were the only part of the whole service they
managed to catch, it would still have been worth their being here.”
He could not understand why they would want to miss out on the
blessing.
Paul
closed many of his letters with a note of doxology—as we saw the
other day (Philippians 4:20)—and then also with a lyric blessing
pronounced over the people to whom he was writing. To live under the
blessing of almighty God—to have such words spoken over us—is
among the finest things we will ever experience in life. “Grace to
you and peace. . . .” “The Lord bless you and keep
you. . . .” The benediction, or blessing, is a sign
of God’s abiding love for us, a reminder of all that gives us
peace. We should never want to miss it!
Let’s
take time to savor these words of grace and love from God the Father,
the gracious Son, and the comforting Holy Spirit. Grace to you, and
peace. Amen.