Countenance

“The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.”  Numbers 6:26

Countenance – My daughter is very special to me.  She is my only girl.  She is my youngest child.  She is absolutely wonderful (what did you expect?).  I have her picture on my desk.  I have another picture by my bed and another in my wallet.  I love to look at those pictures, not because the pictures are marvels of photographic art but rather because those pictures remind me of who she is.  Her face shows me the little girl I love.

God’s picture is a lot more than a portrait!  The Hebrew word for “face” is paniym.  The strange fact about this word is that it’s plural, literally “faces”.  Why?  Because in Hebrew this word means a lot more than just how you look.  It describes the entire behavioral actions of a person.  It’s a shorthand way of saying, “Everything that makes up who you really are.”  It’s not just a picture in a passport.  It’s a summary of what makes you you. 

God says that He will lift up (nasa – see May 20) all of Who He is toward you.  Did you get that?  God is putting Himself at your disposal.  He is bringing everything that He is to your aid.  He is supporting you with His entire Being.  It’s a lot more than a smile in your direction.  You have the God of the Universe on your side!

The “face” reveals the inner character of a person.  God says that His inner character smiles on you.  You are special to Him.  He loves you.  There is nothing you can do that will prevent Him from wanting to care for you. 

Take a look around your house.  My guess is that you have a lot of pictures of people you love.  But the pictures don’t matter.  It’s the faces in those pictures that bring tears to your eyes.  They reveal who those people are to you.  God tells us the same thing.  His picture only reveals how much He treasures us.