“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