In May, I hit the BIG 50-year milestone birthday and wanted to do something special to commemorate the event.

A Big Milestone
Six months earlier, I started planning for the big day and narrowed it down to two options: 1) train for a marathon or 2) read through the Bible. I opted for reading through the Bible and actually finished ON the morning of my actual birthday. I concluded with Deuteronomy 34, “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.” As I pondered what I had read, I thought to myself, “I want that! I desire wisdom! Wouldn’t it be incredible to have my own dad bless me that way?”

A Powerful Blessing
Well at the end of that day, my parents surprised me with a visit for dinner and we had a great time. As the sun was going down, I knew my folks would need to get back home. In that moment, my mind went back to what I had read that morning and my desire for my dad to bless me. I saw my chance and went for it! I asked my dad if he would lay a hand on me and just pray a simple blessing over me, as Moses did with Joshua. This request, if I’m actually honest, felt quite risky on several levels; I did not want to put my dad on the spot. But he responded in an amazing way to my request. He gathered me, my mom and my family close and prayed a blessing over me. It was powerful. I was undone. What a great day!

A Significant Rhythm
Looking back, this was a fun journey I embarked on which created a significant rhythm around God’s Word and, even more, a momentum and gravity of faith within me. The same can be true for all of us. Faith not in what we do – I could have very easily failed in my Bible reading like countless times before. Faith not in other people – my dad could have declined my request. Instead, faith in the person and work of Christ alone. So then it is “credited to [us] as righteousness”!

By faith alone,

Richard