The Power of Blessing

This past weekend I had the privilege of serving a group of about 500 jr and sr high students at a retreat center up in the mountains about two hours outside Denver. Several things blew me away about the time I spent with these precious kids. First, the pain. The pain. I’ve been around the block a few times and heard many, many stories of wound and hurt – but I was absolutely astounded at the level of pain in these young men and women. Almost every young person I talked to cried and wept and sobbed on my chest as I listened and held them and whispered the love of the Father into their ears. I’m sorry to say that much of the hurt came and continues to come from incredibly abusive or absolutely absent mothers and fathers. When will we get it as parents – that our kids need us to be present TO THEM, not the other way around! We can’t give away what we haven’t received – I know that – so it is up to us to seek our God to fill us up with HIS love [Eph. 3:19] so that we have something to give to our children!

One of the tenderest moments occurred the first night when I sat on the first row of the meeting room in front of a 17 year old young man – and prayed a blessing over him as if I were his father. I got very close to him, looked him right in the eye and told him how much I loved him and how he didn’t need to perform for me because he was my precious son. I told him that the day he was born was one of the greatest days of my life. [He told me later that he was adopted…so when I told him how much his “birth day” meant to me – he lowered his head and began to weep.] I told him that I prayed and hoped that he would continue to develop his character – because it was in his character that he became a true man. I told him I would be there for him as long as our God gave me breath…and that I loved him with all my heart. Then I took his head in my hands and blessed him, and kissed him, and embraced him. And even though I was not his real father and this was simply a role play – this young man melted in my arms – and there were students weeping all over the room.

The rest of the weekend, I had literally dozens of students come to me – and in one way or another – ask me for this same blessing…a blessing they longed to receive from their parents, but never had.

My Father, be with the young men and women I met in Colorado. Stay close to them. Whisper in their ear that you love them, that you are their Abba, that you will never leave them, never forsake them. Hold them close. Give them courage. Give them your guidance, your peace, and your blessing…in Jesus’ name, amen.