Blessings for the life of a new baby
by: Amanda Idlman
Bible Reading: The Lord blesses you and protects you. The Lord will make your face shine upon you, and will grace you. The Lord lifts up thee his expression and gives thee peace. – Number 6:24-26
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Last year I was invited to see the value of new life in a fresh way. In November, I informed my adopted daughter that she was born and now alone in the NICU, so she barely strolled around with nurses and medical professionals to endure her back.
This news has brought on an onslaught of emotions… Shock, anger, fear, uncertainty has given us several names! Above all, it was clear to our hearts that this little life was important and that someone needed someone to fight for her. So we let go of our fears, embraced our makeshift role in her life as a foster parent, and prayed for a passionate prayer that this life would be blessed and not shortened.
The part I can’t get through enough is that God hears our prayers. He responded to our faith and saved her life. She lived in the valley of the shadows of death, but God miraculously saved her life. I will never stop thanking this event for the turn. As parents and believers, God doesn’t want to forget to hear and respond to our prayers.
I think we all need that simple reminder from time to time. Because it’s so easy to feel the weight of the world on your shoulders like your parents. We need to remember that God responds to our prayers. When the path ahead of our children is unclear or we are scared of the prospect of caring for humans, we can lean on God’s Spirit for help and guidance. We are not alone on this journey.
The second lesson our unexpected baby taught me was wrapped in her name. It means wisdom. Wisdom in this world teaches children that are often burdensome, with more children comparable to more problems, and children with disabilities are worthless.
God’s wisdom speaks of something fundamentally different. It teaches that each child is “terrifying and wonderfully made” (Ps. sal 134:14). A house filled with children is a blessing (Psalm 127:3-5). Our privilege as parents is to raise a child who gets in the way of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6).
Accepting a child into your life is wise whether it is your first child or the sixth. Whether this baby is normally developed or whether it needs support as it grows. Even if the situation is complicated and the future is not guaranteed, it is worth putting your heart on the line for your child. If you have the opportunity to embrace a new life, you will be blessed and the life of the child in your care has eternal value.
Let’s continue to call God to step up to love our new and precious baby, like me, and to be present in this child’s life. Don’t forget to teach them his words so that they are guided by wisdom and protected from foolishness. We must invite other followers to step into our lives and support us on this parenting journey. We must be intentional about our choices. This child will then have a clear model of life of how it looks to live through spiritual fruits. Parenting is a sacred job and we must be portrayed close to God.
God’s guidance is the most important tool we have as parents, so our prayers for our children must be consistent. We need the Holy Spirit of God’s comforting spirit that lies in our home so that we can find the narrow path to our home.
Let’s pray
Father, we ask that you bless this child. We will continue to protect them from harm. Make your graceful faces shine on them and straighten their paths. Show them your way and tell them your way. Let them know and live in peace. Thank you for this child being a gift. Let me be diligent in the sacred work that you have given me to guide and love this child. Thank you for the blessing of this child. Give them the strength they need to do with what trials they are lying in advance. Let your Holy Spirit be upon them. Amen.
Photo credit: Zach Lucero/Unsplash
Amanda Idolman is a writer who is passionate about encouraging others to live happily. She writes my daily biblical verse prayers and podcasts, dedication of Cross Walk Couples’ dedication app. She recently published Devotion and Solace. Find out more about Amanda on her Facebook page or follow her on Instagram.
Pray through Psalm 15: Prayer to those who never shake up
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