I grew up saying nightly prayers with my mom, on our knees at my bed. And now, more than 20 years later I am in the same place with our children. It's more than just routine for us. I really do believe that God is interested in our desires and our concerns. And every night my dear son #1 prays for God to send his angels to guard and protect him, and to keep him safe.
Matthew 18:10 says:
Take heed that ye 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.
As a believer in the bible, that confirms to me that God doesn't leave our children by themselves. I didn't always trust God to watch over my babies, but that's another story for another time! But I've learned it isn't humanly possible to protect them 100% of the time. And I can't protect them from every bad image or bad thought or bad deed or bad word that this world produces. But I can trust God to influence their thoughts, guard their eyes and direct their feet through their consciences, and to keep harm from happening to them. And I believe God sometimes uses Angels to minister to our families when we ask for our safety.
My Dear Son #1 was having night terrors and nightmares when he was 3 years old, and it was his grandma's suggestion to pray for angels to protect him. So that is what we started praying each night. I had never shown him a picture of angels before this, only the story of the birth of Jesus was where he would have heard of them. But here is his description of angels. He will tell you that angels have flaming swords, and that they appear in a hue of green. He will tell you that they made the bad images in his dreams run away. He will also tell you Angels live in Africa!? I don't understand child innocence, but I wish I had it! And he feels safe each night, and I get sleep each night!
Each of my children have a lullaby I sing for them after their graces each night. Our youngest, Dear Son #2 has Brahms:
Lullaby, and goodnight
Go to sleep little baby
Lullaby, and goodnight
God is hol-ding you tight
Angels watch, through the night
Until mor-ning light
Angels watch, through the night
Until morning is bright
I am sure God is watching over us as adults as well. And we never know when we may be entertaining angels unaware!
Psalm 103:20
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
My mom used to sing that song to me. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this beautiful story. When I was a child (though, not as young as your son) I also had trouble with nightmares. I began praying every night for God's protection over my mind from any fearful or evil thing. Since then, and even now, I rarely dream at all or if I do, I don't remember them. I do believe God really cares about such things and,though he is great and mighty, it seems that the perfect faith of a small child moves him like nothing else.
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