As an OB-Gyn physician I’ve seen it many many times. A brand new baby comes into the world, takes that first cry, and begins the long journey of life with its ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and more than a little uncertainty.
But today you’ll have to excuse a few of my personal musings. This morning the youngest grandchild in our family entered the world much earlier than planned, but alive and well. She has her mother’s checks, and all ten fingers and ten toes. Mommy and daddy are already exhausted, but thrilled that Madelyn is here. And Poppa and Grandma Carol are proud!
If you are a parent or grandparent perhaps you can remember the soft feel of a baby’s skin, their unique smell, the silkiness of their baby hair, the feel of tiny fingers wrapping around your finger – and your heart.
At the moment of birth we’re all about the same. We’re completely helpless and dependent. Only God knows the people we will help and those we will injure during our lives. Only He knows the heartaches or tragedies we will endure, the accomplishments we will reach, the obstacles we will face. Only He knows the decisions we will make and the people we will become.
If parents (and grandparents!) look into the sleeping face of a brand new baby with a mixture of exhilaration and trepidation, what must God feel when a new child comes along? We can hope for good things and pledge to help make that child’s life a good one, but we can only do so much. God knows all the pain, disappointment, loss, and other troubles this little one might face over the next several decades. What must be going through His heart?
There’s something awe-inspiring about a newborn baby. And that something has inspired more than one touching song. How about George Strait, I Saw God Today. Or the Gaither’s Because He Lives. It touches something very deep in a parent’s – and grandparent’s – heart.
With all the uncertain days ahead for little Madelyn, one thing is certain. Her Mommy and Daddy love her. Her grandparents love her. And much more than that, God loves her.
And that reminds me of what may be the best summary of what this is all about: A new baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.
Sleep well, Madelyn. You’re in good hands!
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