In light of the Royal birth announcement of Will and Kate’s little prince yesterday, I thought it appropriate to send out “Congratulations” to the new parents and to all others who are welcoming a new baby to their family.

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.  So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. (1 Samuel 1:27–28)

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”  (Proverbs 22:6)

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”  (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

“Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  (Deuteronomy 11:19)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  (Jeremiah 1:5)

“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.  They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”  (Proverbs 1:8-9)

“Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.   The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.”  (Proverbs 23:22-24)

“Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.” (Proverbs 29:17)

“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”  (Psalm 8:2)

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”  (Psalm 127:3-5)

“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.”  (Psalm 139:13-16)

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”  (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

“This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself.”  (Isaiah 44:24)

 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 18:10)

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”  (Matthew 18:12-14)

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  (Matthew 19:14)

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,  “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”  (Mark 9:36–37)

“And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”  (Mark 10:16)

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed.”  (Luke 1:46-48)

“And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”  (Luke 2:40)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  (James 1:17)

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  (Ephesians 2:10)

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”  (Ephesians 6:1-3)

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”  (Colossians 3:20)

“We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you.  Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.”  (1 Thessalonians 2:6-8)

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