There is a special time of day, when young children are getting ready for bed, to sit with them, reading one of their favourite books or have a chat about the day’s events.

Two examples of this are in the Bible.

Exodus 48 captures the reunion of Joseph with his father. It relates the introduction of his two children Ephraim and Manasseh to their grandfather for his blessing (vs 11, 12). “Israel said to Joseph, ‘I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too’. Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.”

In the closing stages of the book of Ruth, we read that at birth “Naomi took the child (Obed), laid him in her lap and cared for him”. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son.” From calling herself Mara because the Almighty had made her life very bitter, we see the climax to this very human chain of events. The symbolic gesture of placing the baby on her knee was showing that Naomi was adopting Obed, hence maintaining the family lineage that was denied her with the death of her sons.

I have had the privilege of giving thanks for and dedicating the young lives of my four grandchildren to the Lord at the time of their birth. My daughter-in-law describes this as a part of their heritage of faith. If you have the privilege of sharing like this with your children or grandchildren be conscious of this very precious time, and send a prayer heavenward for God’s blessing on their special lives.

As I read the stories of Naomi and Joseph I see these people, in the twilight of their tumultuous lives, were able to realize the blessing of grandchildren. In his human despair, would Joseph have ever thought that such a thing were possible – from the pit, from slavery, from prison? In her anguish on the return to her village, would Naomi really have been able to hold on to any human hope about her natural desire for human fulfilment?

The Bible reflects a loving God’s dealings with His people. There is no hard and fast formula, and as I write I hesitate to suggest that perhaps you could read the story of Joseph or Naomi if you are in a similar poignant situation and claim that the working out in their lives could be reflected in your life. Yet there is a part of me that also needs to tell you that perhaps this is a pathway you could boldly follow.

You know what your heart’s desire is. Can I suggest that, with much submissive, honest and obedient prayer, you bring your personal circumstance before the Lord and ask that His Holy Spirit will reveal to you how you can appropriate this story to your situation. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” Psalm 37:4