There is something tender about the moment you turn down the lights at bedtime. The room grows soft and quiet, a small lamp or nightlight glows in the corner, and your little one settles in for the night. That gentle glow is a lovely picture of something even greater: the light of God’s Word over your child’s life.<\/p>\n
The psalmist wrote:<\/p>\n
\n“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105, KJV)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Long before your little one can read a single verse, you can begin speaking that light over them, night by night.<\/p>\n
A Lamp for Little Feet<\/h2>\n
A lamp in Bible times did not light up the whole road ahead. It lit the next few steps. That is how God’s Word often guides us too: one step, one day, one choice at a time.<\/p>\n
Your little one has many steps ahead. Some are close, like first wobbly steps across the living room floor. Others are far off, choices and seasons you cannot see yet. You cannot walk every step for them, but you can pray that God’s Word will be the lamp that guides them all along the way.<\/p>\n
God Is Light<\/h2>\n
Many little ones notice the dark at bedtime. Scripture gives us a beautiful truth to hold on to:<\/p>\n
\n“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5, KJV)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Even when the lights go out, God has not gone anywhere. As your child grows, you can gently teach them that the night is not empty, because the Lord is with them. For now, while they are small, you can simply speak His light over them in a calm and loving voice.<\/p>\n
Simple Ways to Bring the Light of His Word to Bedtime<\/h2>\n
\n
- Speak a verse as you dim the lights.<\/strong> Make Psalm 119:105 part of your routine. As you turn down the lamp, softly say, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”<\/li>\n
- Pray over their steps.<\/strong> Lay your hand gently on your baby’s feet and pray, “Lord, guide these little feet in Your ways all their life.”<\/li>\n
- Keep a Bible close.<\/strong> Place a Bible near the rocking chair or wherever you settle in at night, so a verse is always within reach.<\/li>\n
- Repeat the same words often.<\/strong> Little ones are comforted by what is familiar. Speaking the same blessing again and again can become a sweet part of your evening rhythm.<\/li>\n
- Let the light shine on you too.<\/strong> Tired parents need God’s Word as much as little ones do. Let the verse you speak over your child be a lamp for your own heart as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A Blessing for Every Night of the Year<\/h2>\n
I wrote Bedtime Blessings for My Baby: 365 Spoken Prayers and Scripture, a Keepsake for New Parents<\/em> to help parents do exactly this. It offers a prayer and Scripture to speak over your baby every night of the year, so that God’s Word can be a gentle part of your bedtime routine from the very beginning.<\/p>\n
If you would love to have a blessing ready for each evening, you can find Bedtime Blessings for My Baby on Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n