This week’s Five Minute Friday (FMF) prompt is Benediction.

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What do you think of when you hear the word benediction?

During my childhood, our church would recite or sing a number of benedictions on Sunday morning.

The most memorable was sung to the tune of Edelweiss:

May the Lord, Mighty God
Bless and keep you forever
Grant you peace, perfect peace
courage in every endeavor
Lift your eyes and see His face,
and His grace forever
May the Lord, Mighty God
bless and keep you forever

I found this video of Children Choir “May the Lord”, it is a slightly different version than we used to sing, but beautiful all the same.

At its core, a benediction is the final blessing given by the pastor and/or congregation to close a worship service and send everyone off on a positive note.

I can recall other instances when I have been present for a different type of benediction. Each time I was at the bedside of a dear friend, knowing that it was the last time that I would see them this side of Heaven. Those gathered shared quiet words of love, prayed, and said our final goodbyes. I will never forget the phone call telling me that Tara had died while we were still in the hospital elevator. You see, her husband (even though he was not a church-going man) had graciously given us one more night as a small group. She waited for us to usher her into the arms of her Savior.

Yes, we had prayed for her to be healed of the ravages of cancer, because we wanted her to STAY with us a while longer. Nevertheless, we also knew that she was worn out from the fight and ready to be free from endless pain and sickness.