In his book, Building Faith at Home, Mark Holmen shares a touching story about his nightly prayer of blessing over his daughter. After years of sending her off to sleep with a special prayer of blessing, his daughter woke up one morning at 4 a.m. and prayed that exact blessing over him before he went on a business trip. Mark’s book, in addition to several others on the same topic, have inspired numerous parents to pray a blessing over their children before bed.

I was skeptical at first but figured it couldn’t do any harm. So, I turned to Numbers 6 and began memorizing verses 24 to 26. This passage, often referred to as the Aaronic Blessing, is probably the second most recognized prayer in the Bible, after the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6. Two nights later, we began a new tradition. After stories and a goodnight kiss, I placed a hand on my two children’s heads and prayed.

May the Lord bless you

and keep you;

May the Lord make his face shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

May the Lord look upon you with favor

and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son,

and the Holy Spirit;

            I love you with all my heart.

You are blessed.

Three nights later, after praying this blessing, my five year-old daughter placed her small hand on my wife’s head and prayed this prayer—word perfect. As I marveled at her sensitivity, intelligence, and care, I was also struck by the obvious. Why had I never considered praying a blessing over my wife?

I’ll be honest, it was a tad awkward the first night. But before I fell asleep, I reached over, placed my hand on my bride’s head and prayed God’s blessing for her life. And although it has now become normal, I’m constantly amazed at the profound impact this simple act has on our relationship. Every night, I fall asleep asking for God’s grace and peace to infuse her life. And I’m constantly reminded of the blessing she is to me.

Paul Lanum worked 14 years in production management for Walt Disney Feature Animation on films including The Lion King, Tarzan, and Chicken Little. Paul has a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and is currently the Associate Publisher at Bluefish TV. He has written several published articles and co-authored the soon to be released Max on Life Participant’s Guide with Max Lucado and Randy Petersen. Paul lives in Frisco, Texas, with his wife, Amaryah, and their two children.

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