By Ann Farabee
He was a little restless, and I knew he was about to cry, so I reached my arms out toward him, he smiled his award-winning smile, and for the first time ever, he reached his arms out toward me. I positioned him on my lap to where I knew he was comfortable and happy, and then pulled him close to my chest, while whispering softly, “I love you, baby.”
My little seven-month-old grandson then wiggled himself to the side a bit and turned his head just enough to look up at me until our eyes met. I began to gently rub my hand across the top of his head and whisper words of love ever so softly in his ear. I felt his little body completely relax and he seemed to melt into my arms. Somehow, I believe I melted, too.
I then did what I always do. Placing the side of my face gently on top of his head, I begin to softly sing these words:
Jesus loves Beckett, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves Beckett. Yes, Jesus loves Beckett. Yes, Jesus loves Beckett. The Bible tells me so.
With his head still against my chest, I could see his face as I sang those precious words.
Not once, not twice, not three times, but four times.
He never moved a muscle and he never closed his eyes. He just listened.
We were both as still as we could be in that sweet moment, as my lips breathed out those precious words.
Don’t tell me that Jesus doesn’t speak to the hearts of our babies!
Don’t tell me that babies can’t feel the sweet loving presence of God in their lives.
For God is real. He speaks to us. He speaks to our children. And He will speak to their children.
Matthew 18:10 says, “Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in heaven.”
The angels of our babies always behold the face of our Father in heaven? Yes.
How does God speak to us? He speaks to our hearts.
He speaks to us through nature, through others and through the words in our Bible.
He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.
And, it does not always have to be words that we hear, but it may be something that we feel.
As GG, which stands for Gorgeous Grandma, I am not with my grandchildren or my children all the time.
But one thing I do know — God is always with them.
Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.
