At number 7 is another post by Carl Laferton, first posted on July 23rd 2013.
Here are five things to ask God for, guided by Ephesians, as you look at the small, precious miracle of creation lying peacefully crying unstoppably in your arms…
Heavenly Father, please give this little one…
1. Faith in Christ.
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…” (Ephesians 1 v 18). More than anything else, your baby needs to know the certain eternal hope of a future with Christ. This is the most important thing you can pray for them. You probably know this, but it’s so very easy to pray for health/happiness/a good night’s sleep instead.
2. Church membership.
“… the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (1 v 18). Your baby needs a church, and will do every day from their first to their last, so that they will grow up knowing saints of all ages, who will show and teach them about their inheritance, and help you to love, model grace, do godly discipline, and enjoy being together as God’s people.
3. God’s power.
“… and his incomparably great power for us who believe” (1 v 18). If God blesses you by granting you the above two requests, your child will have a hard life; fighting the internal battle of sin, and suffering the external persecution of a world which does not know Christ. Pray that God in the power of his Spirit would be strengthening and changing your child even as they lie in their cot.
4. Godly parents.
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (6 v 4). Fathers, and mothers, need spiritual help to do this. Pray that you wouldn’t do what’s easiest for you; wouldn’t lay down unnecessary rules; wouldn’t be inconsistent; wouldn’t ever let there be a gap between what you tell your child about Christ, and how you live for him; wouldn’t ever act as though your child most needs good behaviour, good grades, good job, good spouse. Your child needs you to pray for your parenting.
5. The privilege of suffering.
“Pray for me … an ambassador in chains” (6 v 20). Pray your child would struggle, suffer and, if called, die for Christ. No, really. Don’t pray that God would bless your child with a long life, a successful life, a respected life. Pray that, a million years from now, your child would be known for how he/she lay down their dreams, comforts, health, even life to serve Christ.
Carl is Editorial Director at The Good Book Company and is a member of Grace Church Worcester Park, London. He is the best-selling author of The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross and God's Big Promises Bible Storybook, and also serves as series editor of the God's Word for You series. Before joining TGBC, he worked as a journalist and then as a teacher, and pastored a congregation in Hull. Carl is married to Lizzie, and they have two children. He studied history at Oxford University.
