His Presence, Our Peace
The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
—Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)
This passage, known as the “Aaronic blessing”, is one of the oldest passages in scripture. God dictates to Moses a blessing for Aaron (his brother and the Israelites’ high priest) and Aaron’s sons to use to bless His people. The 21 verses before these words of blessing describe how God’s people are to follow His laws, bring offerings, and worship Him. But what is this blessing?
The message from God is a beautiful repetition, highlighting that the source of this blessing is the Lord – and no other. “The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
When the Lord gave Moses these words, about a year had passed since he came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments and a face which people couldn’t look at since “(it) was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord” (Ex. 34:29). These words echo so beautifully in today’s verse, illustrating powerfully the Lord is promising we will be close to his presence – that our peace will not come from intellectual understanding, but instead from the unmistakable presence of the Lord. His attention – His face – will be on us, and we will be kept in His presence.
How often – in our work, in our families, in our lives – do we forget that in order to shine a light in this world and live our lives as a testament to Christ, we must first draw near to Him? That we must first obey His word, so that we may receive that blessing of His presence – so close that we won’t need to work on shining a light – it will be evident to all?
This is what drives our work at Baylor University. In Advancement, we strengthen alumni connections and inspire giving to support academics and student access, all with the goal of advancing our Christian mission. That future generations of Baylor students will have a transformational educational experience, while they also receive the opportunities to grow in their faith, becoming spiritually mature Christians whose lives reflect the undeniable presence of our Lord, that others may see Christ in them.
Guided Reflection:
How have the daily verses and discipline of Advent inspired you to keep this practice throughout the year? How have you seen this blessing manifest in your life?
About the Author
Jason Diffenderfer
Vice President for University Advancement
Jason Diffenderfer is the Vice President for University Advancement and joined the Baylor University in March 2024. In that capacity, he is responsible for creating a strategic vision for the next phase of Baylor’s Division of Advancement that will provide a foundation for a future philanthropic campaign expanding on the success of Give Light, Baylor’s $1.5 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign which concluded in the summer of 2024. He also fosters partnerships across campus and among alumni, parents and friends of the University to identify, engage and cultivate current and future donors. Working closely with Baylor’s vice president of business and finance and chief financial officer, he assists in leveraging revenue streams that allow University leadership to make informed decisions in fulfillment of Baylor’s Christian mission.
He comes to Baylor from the University at Buffalo, where he served as vice president for university advancement. He is an experienced higher education administrator with a record of success in planning and executing philanthropic campaigns, raising major and principal gifts, managing staff and building programs. At Buffalo – a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) and ranked No. 36 among public institutions by U.S. News & World Report – Jason served on the president’s cabinet and shepherded the university in surpassing its $1 billion Boldly Buffalo campaign goal, while also setting a fiscal year fundraising record with more than $123 million in commitments. Prior to Buffalo, Jason served in various advancement leadership roles at the University of Louisville, supporting the university’s successful $1 billion Charting Our Course campaign.