www.bible.com/116/num.6.24-26.nlt

I remember that I learned about these verses making up what was called the Aaronic blessing. The Lord told Moses to speak this blessing over his brother Aaron and his sons, and commanded them to bless the children of Israel this way.

On the day that my wife and I exchanged marriage vows, my father co-officiated the ceremony with her pastor, who was also friends with him. After reciting our vows and exchanging rings, my father laid hands on our heads, and recited these verses from the King James Version verbatim. I realized that this was a beautiful expression of love from a father to his son and his new daughter-in-law, and I couldn’t imagine a more wonderful way to close out our ceremony and usher us into the life we would have as a married couple and a family.

Our marriage and family have been blessed for nearly 24 years. We’ve had good times and bad times, but in the midst of it all we have seen prayers answered, we’ve experienced healing and deliverance, and we are thankful for all the love that God has shown us. Even though my wife is no longer with me, having died over six months ago, I am thankful for the life that we shared together on the earth, and I look forward to the eternal life we will share, when Jesus Christ returns and we’re called to meet Him in the air to be with Him, and we will be able to share stories of God’s goodness and blessings in our lives between now and then.