“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” Psalm 3:3 ESV
My newest grandson, Case, was born on Jan 17. That was 6 days ago. On the day of his birth, I got to see and hold him for about 15 minutes. Due to sickness in the house and the potential of him getting it, he was basically quarantined. We chose to let mom and dad have the time to themselves. But last night we went for a visit.
I don’t’ know why holding your baby in the hospital is different then holding your baby at home. But to me… it is. I always insist that my wife go first. It’s a mom kind of thing. I watched and listened as she cooed and talked to the newest member of our family like he understood. It immediately brought back the memories of her with our own babies long ago. She has not lost her touch. And then, it was MY turn!
Though nervous at first, I confirmed that holding a baby is like riding a bike. Once you learn, it just comes natural. Having had 4 of my own, I scooped him in my arms and held him length-ways away from me so we could look face to face. I wanted him to hear ME now. Throwing macho out the window, I cooed and baby talked to him myself. And then I gave him ‘The Speech!’ “Case, I want you to NEVER forget…YOU are SPECIAL!” He slept right through it!
It didn’t matter that I wasn’t heard or understood by him. In fact, the conversation was not for him anyway. It was for ME. By deliberately wrapping him in the context of those words, I was speaking to myself and verifying a unique declaration from Almighty God. “I” am required to remember who “HE” is in God’s eyes. Declaring it helps me live it. I was honored when my daughter grabbed her camera to record the moment. I don’t have a copy… but I don’t need one either! It’s on lock in my head.
My own father, Case’s great-grandfather, has passed. But he lived again last night as I repeated a major part of his ministry with those words… “NEVER forget…YOU are special!” He said it all the time. And so often that it became rote! But the point was made. As a person, grandfather, father, son, relative or friend, “’I’ am special… to GOD.” And with that label comes GREAT responsibility. To ACT like it!
As we readied to leave, my almost 2 year old grandson Coast, the brother of Case, was running around playing when I snatched him up and held him face to face and repeated the declaration one more time… JUST for HIM. “Never forget… YOU are SPECIAL!” He squirmed and wanted down to play. BUT… he heard me. So did God! And so did I!
Did YOU know?
