New Life

Genesis 1:26-31, 3, 9:1

Creator God,

I just held new life in my arms.  My grand child is beautiful.  Life, hope, and potential await, opportune and inviting.  I thank You for the joy and beauty of a brand new life.  Thank You that I can feel, touch, and love this little one.

As I look upon my grand child, I try to imagine whom he looks like.  I look for family features, hair, chin, eyes, nose, and ears.  I look for both mother and father in my grand child’s face.   I think about the generations of our family.  I ponder salvation, transformation, a trajectory of hope, and I pray that it will continue in this little one and his progeny.

I think about Your gift of creation and new life.  I am in awesome wonder at the miracle of sex, conception, pregnancy, and child birth.  I am amazed as I ponder the crowning glory of Your creative work–humanity.  Your creative Word proclaimed “Let us make man in our image.”  The image of God imprinted upon humanity in Creation persists in each new baby born into Your world.  This precious little one I hold in my arms is a carrier of Your image!

I ponder the far-reaching effects of the Fall.  I pray for my grand child’s battle with sin and temptation.  What about inherited sin in this child’s life?  Grant this little one victory over the faults of moral character that have become his spiritual inheritance.  May this child grow to allow Your image to dispel the spiritual inheritance of the Fall.  I pray for salvation and a life well-lived for You.

I think about the world my grand child will inhabit, its sin, its brokenness, and the challenges this little one will soon face.  Temptations will assault this child.  Protect, defend, nurture and draw this little one toward You.

I think about the legacy of grace that You introduced to our family generations ago.  I pray that this precious child will early come to faith in You, and live a life of worth, value, faith and blessing that counts for Eternity.  May this little one be a link in an unbroken chain of grace, hope, and faith that will bless future generations of our family line with a spiritual inheritance.

Lord God, may Your blessing, Presence, and grace protect, prosper, and defend this little one.  May my grand child grow up to love and serve You with a whole and eager heart.  I pray not for wealth, power, prestige, or greatness, but for a life well-lived for You.  May this child advance Your name and reputation through our family line for Your glory and praise.

In the Name of our faithful Creator God,
Amen.