This week was a very special week in our household as we welcomed our 5th grandchild, a beautiful granddaughter, the firstborn of our eldest son and his beloved wife. What an indescribable, miraculous gift is the life of a child! How blessed we are that God chose to put us in families as a way for us to better understand His Father’s unconditional love for us, so that we would not be lonely, and so that we would have a greater understanding of the unity and fellowship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (1 John 3:1; Psalm 68:6; John 17:21-23).
Of course we gave them several tangible things for the baby, but I believe the greatest gift we can give to her— besides a heritage of faith in Jesus— are our prayers for her and her parents. I was grateful that at a shower that was held for her there was an opportunity for all who were invited to share a blessing for her. Below is the blessing that I felt led by the Lord to write to my son and his wife; I am sharing it because I thought it’s a prayer that you may wish to adapt to pray for your loved ones, or even for yourself.
“I pray that your precious daughter, my beloved granddaughter, will love the Lord with all of her heart, soul, mind and strength. May she have an intimate, personal relationship with God, Who is Sovereign over her life and the Source of all goodness, and may she continually abide in His Presence where there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). I pray that she will seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness above all else, knowing that as she keeps her focus upon and delights in Jesus, ‘the Author and Perfecter of her faith’, that He will meet her every need, including granting her the desires of her heart (Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 6:33; Psalm 37:4). I pray she will worship, honor, and revere God and keep His commandments so that she will fulfill her duty in life and live for the purpose for which she was created—to give God pleasure and glory (Ecclesiastes 12:13; (Isaiah 43:7-8). I pray that she will be bold and courageous like Esther; that she will have the faith of Rahab, the wisdom of Abigail, the perseverance of Tamar, the loyalty and faithfulness of Ruth, the submissive and obedient spirit of Mary, and a sense of contentment regardless of her circumstances like the apostle Paul. I pray that she lives with eternity in mind, and that she grows in wisdom, in knowledge, in stature, and in favor with God and with man, bringing joy to all who know her, especially to you as her parents and to her Heavenly Father (Luke 2:52).
I pray for you both to be filled with divine revelation, wisdom, and understanding from God so that you will raise her in ‘the fear and admonition of the Lord’ as you diligently teach her God’s commandments, speak of Him throughout each day, and help to instill in her a wholehearted love for Him so that it may go well with her all of the days of her life (Deuteronomy 6; Ephesians 1:17;6:4). May you gain even deeper insight into God’s lavish, unconditional love for both of you as you experience the indescribable joy, gift, and privilege of being her parents.”
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39 ESV
I have heard of many testimonies from people who after coming to faith in the Lord discovered that they had a heritage of faith of which they had been unaware; they were so blessed when they learned that they had predecessors who had prayed for them! What an opportunity we all have to sow into future generations just by praying God’s Word over them! May we never take for granted this great privilege and responsibility that can have such a tremendous impact upon our loved ones’ earthly— and especially eternal—- lives!
Written by Julie