Such a Big Boy

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139: 13-18

When the day had finally come, it seemed surreal.  My second child was having a child.  As a grandfather of four beautiful, sweet and adorable little girls; this one was a little bit different.  For you see this time it was a little young man.  This precious boy in my arms on that Spring morning, came into the world full of life and wonder.

I recall walking into the room and seeing my little girl.  Exhausted, glistening and radiant at the same time.  Her face and neck were flush, as a smile crossed her face.  I wiped a tear away as I came in close to her for a hug.  I held her hand and whispered words of love into her ear.  For you see, as much as I realized the new born baby in the room that day was the star of the show, I could never have been more proud of my own child.  She had endured a long, difficult pregnancy which required surgeries mid-way through and extended hospital stays.  She had done everything possible to ensure that this young boy was protected in every manner.  She realized the gift that God had given her and took seriously her role in carrying and delivering His masterpiece into the world.

Turning from her bed, my wife of nearly 30 years at that time handed me my first Grandson, Jonathan Richard (J R) Kidd.  In my typical manner, I leaned in close and whispered a loving blessing into his tender ear and then lifted him in my best Lion King pose.  He was our latest gift from God the Father.  This young child is going to do amazing things for the Kingdom throughout his life.  He will be a change-agent for the Lord and bring thousands if not tens of thousands to the Lord through his love and humble heart of serving God.

As we learned from Psalm 139 – God is with our children in the womb.  When the heart is formed, when the eyes, the ears, the nose, the lungs, the brain, the mouth and every other part is formed from the original fertilized cell of creation.  This child is not the result of randomness, but a perfectly formed system of cells, nerves, bone, tendon, intelligence and love.  Because in the womb, God formed him perfectly by design, as only He can.  I do not know if the Holy Spirit dwells in the hiding place of gestation, but I do know that God’s sovereign hand was on this child, long before any of us met him.

JR is one year old today.  An amazing young man, filled with laughter, joy, love and an unbelievable digestive track.  He is loved by everyone that meets him, because he is innocent to a fault.  He has not learned of the sinful nature of humanity, nor how to be evil in thought or deed.  Yet we, as mature onlookers, know that in this life that will change.  For we are all sinful by nature, yes all of us, even little man – JR.  He walks, he giggles, he laughs, he cries.  He has a few teeth and will bite, because he doesn’t know any better.  He babbles a few words and through body language can tell you exactly what is going on and when he wants his Momma or Daddy.  I am so very fortunate to enjoy time with him each week after church or for a bar-b-que at the house, and I’ve watched him grow so amazingly.

I reflect back in my mind of the small bundle of joy I held up a year ago today and see the incredible things God has already done in his life, and I ask myself one thing.  “What is impossible for this boy to do in his life, if he chooses to follow God?”  You see, at some point JR is going to have to make that choice.  His Momma made that choice, his Daddy made that choice, his aunts and uncles have made that choice and his grandparents have made that choice; but you see we can’t do it for him.  We’ve helped him learn to crawl and then walk, to feed himself and to drink.  We will all help him learn to run and play, and climb trees and ride a bike.  We’ll help him understand love and pain, suffering and empathy and how to help others and how to be kind.  What we can’t do for him though is Save him from eternal Hell.  That he must do on his own.  We are responsible to help him understand the Lord’s goodness, His love and His grace.  We are responsible to teach him of his Savior, Jesus Christ, and what He did on that cross.  But JR will have to accept Christ as his own Savior.  Our works, our words, our pleadings can’t save JR, he will have to come to that relationship with Christ on his own.

My prayer over JR in the hospital room last year is still the same today. 

Lord, I pray for JR to find you, to long for you, to love you and to serve you with all of his heart, mind and soul.  And I pray that through JR your word is passed on to thousands and tens of thousands.  In Jesus name, Amen.

 

JR (Ritchie), Pops loves you so very much.  I know you don’t understand it today, but you have such an amazing family around you to love you, care for you and support you.  We will always be there for you, with arms open and a hug ready, when you are afraid, hurt or just need one.   Someday, I’ll introduce you to Michigan football, and Houston Astros baseball, and how to drive a nail into a piece of wood.  We’ll do so many things together with your Daddy, your Grandpa Jon, your uncles as you grow up.  Boys stuff.  Hang on to your joy lil’ one and always remember from whence you came – you are a creation of God the Father.