A Prayer for Baby

“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10 NIV

Long before we’re striding through the race of parenthood, the “what if” worrying begins. Tiny humans remind us how helpless we are at the life’s first breath, but the God who omnisciently knows us (Psalm 139:16), holds us safely in His mighty hands. The Hebrew word for hand, in the context of Job 12:10, “represents stewardship and personal responsibility.” God is a personal God (Isaiah 43:3), and He cares for us. (Matthew 6:26)

Though God tells us not to worry (Matthew 6:25-34), angst is often our gut reaction to all things “baby.” God assures us that every life has a purpose (Exodus 9:16), He is in control (Philippians 4:6-7), and that we, above all else, are to love. (1 Peter 4:8) Let’s pray, today, not only for the physical health of the newest generation, but for their steadfast pursuit of Christ. May we be leaders and guides more often than control freaks and worriers, encouragers over fear mongers, and know when to let go and let God. Use the following to pray for your baby with words of hope, peace and security.

Father,

I praise you for new life, newborns, and growing families, for the anticipation of a life forever changed for first parents and the overwhelming joy of repeated blessing for growing families. Whether the first or multiple child, birth carries a set of worries that only the power of the Holy Spirit can quench. Today, we praise You for that Holy Spirit power and the sacrificial death of Your Son, Jesus to provide it! Father, You sent Your own Son to earth in a womb. He was born as vulnerable as all babies are. When we are tempted to think that the world can never be safe enough for our children to grow up in, remind us of Your omnipotent control and overwhelmingly powerful love for each of us. When we look at our newborn babies, help us to recognize them as Yours, and know undoubtedly that Your plan for their lives is good.

Job 12:10 reminds us that Your “hand cradles the life of every creature on the face of the earth …” and that Your “breath fills the nostrils of humans everywhere.” Help us to remember this verse and the powerful promise of Your protection and connectedness to us, and ultimately our children. So often, as parents, we feel that everything is up to us. We count wet diapers, track daily feelings and monitor sleep habits. It’s easy to get caught up in the mirage of control. Help us to relax into the habits of raising our babies without the worry that threatens to distract us from the simple newborn joys. Help us to recall this truth when we are overtired and overwhelmed. Father, protect us and our families and friends from the fresh batch of emotions that threaten to derail us as our bodies and lives adjust to the change of additional life.

Remind us that each life is significant in Your eyes. “Because I, the Eternal One, am your God. I am the Holy One of Israel, and I will save you. I have traded nations to win you back, Egypt, Cush, and Seba, in exchange for your freedom.” This Old Testament verse from Isaiah 43:3 brings Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to the top of our minds. Father, You have been pursuing our hearts from ancient times, and through the cross, Your presence in our daily lives is now palpable.

Thank You for loving us in such a way it sits beyond our human understanding. You love our children in the same way, more than we ever could—though our hearts seem to burst into another level of love as soon as we know they are in womb, let alone cradled in our arms. You will pursue us and our children, always.  Help us to find you, daily and teach our kids how to find you, too.

Worry is a big threat to our parental sanity. Forgive us for allowing it to walk all over our boundaries of faith. Teach us and remind us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to refute worry with Truth. Matthew 6:26 states,“Look at the birds in the sky. They do not store food for winter. They don’t plant gardens. They do not sow or reap- and yet, they are always fed because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are even more precious to Him than a beautiful bird. If He looks after them, of course He will look after you.”

Father, we pray this verse over our lives and our children today, that our lives may reflect our acknowledgement of this Truth. We are precious to You. Our children are precious to You. Equip us to walk in that legacy with such tenacity that our children follow us right to Your feet.

Thank you for the gift of life and parenthood. Bless our babies to be healthy physically, spiritually, and mentally. May they seek You all of their days. We pray their future friendships and marriages are centered in love and kindness, for our families to live in peace and our homes to serve and glorify You. 1 Peter 4:8 commands us to “Most of all, love each other steadily and unselfishly, because love makes up for so many faults.”

Above all lessons we teach our children, may love be the one they hold closest and apply the most to their own hearts and to the world around them. Habitually humble our pride when an apology is warranted, for even babies sense empathy. Bless us to be compassionate and encouraging parents, able to lead our kids in love and kindness in a world that would rather throw blows, point fingers, and place blame. You have many lessons and much to work in our hearts through parenthood. May we be open, accepting, and able to grow in Your love each day.

Bless our baby. Bless him/her to find their unique purpose in this world and live it out with abandon for Your glory. May they experience joy and peace to the fullest, from their first breath to their last. Bless their lives with Christ-following freedom—an unabashed, all-inclusive, everlasting love.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ on her blog, https://sunnyand80.org. A stay-at-home mom, freelance writer and blogger, Bible study and children’s worship team leader, she resides in Ohio with her husband of ten years, two daughters, and their Golden-doodle.

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