The Father’s Precious Gifts

This weekend was a special one for us. It was the weekend when we got to publicly and formally thank God for the wonderful gift of our baby daughter at her dedication service.

After losing our previous Lentil, and while praying for a baby to bring to birth and care for on Earth, I found myself echoing the words of Hannah in the chapters of 1 Samuel in the Bible. Childless and desperate to be a mother, she prays her heartfelt prayer to God. In 1 Samuel, chapter 1, verse 11, she says, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life…”

We have always known that both our precious babies are gifts created and loaned to us by God, each for a season, however long or short. Being able to fulfil our promise to dedicate Charlotte back to God, in response to Him fulfilling the promise we knew He had made to grant her to us, was an amazing privilege and honour.

But, amid the joy and celebration at Charlotte’s presence in our lives, we wanted to make sure that our first precious gift of a child, her older sibling, was not forgotten. And for that reason, we included in the dedication service this song, written in honour of both our precious children, which we would like to share with you.

We share it in honour of our beautiful living Charlotte, of our precious heavenly Lentil and of every child given but taken before their parents were ready – each one an everlasting precious gift. As the song title says, The Father’s Precious Gifts. Click on the image to listen to the song.

The Father’s Precious Gifts

Created by the Father
You were our precious gift
We longed to hold you tightly in our arms

We dreamed of days together
When you’d run and laugh and learn
We’d try to keep you safe from every harm

But God’s great plan was different
He’d known it from the start
You’d never have a home on Earth but a home inside our hearts
For better things awaited you
As He called you home to Him
No hurt, no pain, no suffering
But all the glory of the King

Now you’re cradled by the Father
Everlasting precious gift
And He’ll hold us close until we see your face

Created by the Father
Our second precious gift
We get to hold you tightly in our arms

We savour days together
As you grow and laugh and learn
We try to keep you safe from every harm

This time God’s plan is different
You get to play your part
You get to have a home on Earth as well as in our hearts
And such good things await you written in God’s perfect plan
And we long to see you thrive in Him, on His promises firm stand

Created by the Father
Our two most precious gifts
He holds you both so tightly in His arms

Created by the Father
Our two most precious gifts
Your legacies in God’s great perfect plan

Sarah Moore is the author of For the Love of Lentil, A journey of longing, loss and abundant grace, which tells the story of her experience of pregnancy and miscarriage. Copies of the book are available here.