The Hawaii Blessing

June 3, 2020

by David Chang, Director of Ministry Support

By the time you read this devotion, The Hawaii Blessing music video would have been seen more than 600,000 times. I’m guessing that if other people watch it as many times as I have, then there are only 600 unique viewers (just joking!). This beautiful video, a music collaboration involving 25 churches in Hawaii, has been seen all over the world. (In case you haven’t seen it, you can watch The Hawaii Blessing here.

I’ve watched it a lot. Even several times a day. I still can’t watch it without being affected by it. Sometimes I weep; sometimes I get chicken skin; sometimes I can’t speak. I tried to think why this song has affected me so much. 

One day a dear friend in the Lord sent me an email. She had looked up the Scriptures behind the lyrics:

"The Lord bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26)

"May His favor be upon you and a thousand generations" (Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 7:9)

"And your family and your children; and their children and their children" (Psalm 103:17-18; Psalm 128:6)

"May His presence go before you, and behind you and beside you" (Joshua 1:9)

"All around you, and within you" (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians. 3:16)

"He is with you, He is with you" (Psalm 118:6)

"In the morning, in the evening" (Psalm 139:9-12)

"In your coming and your going" (Psalm 121:8)

"In your weeping and rejoicing" (Psalm 30:5)

"He is for you, He is for you" (Psalm 56:9; Romans 8:31)

I looked into the Scriptures and tried to understand what was going on when these words were spoken. I began to realize that these were not times of victory, but rather really rough times. These were situations where people that God loved were driven out of their homes, or faced battles with a more powerful enemy, or suffered under a hostile government. God reminded them through these Scriptures that although it looked like everything was against them, God was still for them. God wanted to reassure them that He saw what they were going through and that He hadn’t forgotten them. God was for them.

I think that’s why I am so affected by the song. He is reminding me that with all the disease, death, and division around me and in the world today, that He is for me. He is for me. He is for me.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for singing Your word into my thoughts, into my feelings and into my spirit. As You have blessed me, help me to bless others around me. Help me to sing Your words into their lives, not just with a song, but with helping hands, with a giving heart, and with healing spirit. Use my life to let them know that You are for them. In Jesus name, Amen.

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