Prayer When a Child Is Weaned

Merciful and gracious God! How my heart rejoices to know that the time has come when my child is strong enough to be weaned! O loving God, Thou hast in Thy goodness bestowed this child upon me, preserved it amid so many perils, sustained its frail life, and permitted it to reach an age at which it needs stronger food for its sustenance. I extol Thy mercy, which has blessed my mother’s milk to the strengthening and growth of my child. I thank Thee for Thy blessing, for Thy protection, for Thy faithfulness and grace. O Lord, Thou dost daily perform a miracle by turning food and drink into milk in the mother’s breast, and giving to that milk the power to satisfy, sustain, and strengthen the child.

O my God, as Thou hast let my child thrive at its mother’s breast, so do Thou now let it thrive upon other food and drink. Grant that it may take kindly to the change in its diet, and grow upon it day by day, and week by week, and year by year. When it begins to walk, be with it; let Thy angel accompany it; uphold it when it would fall, protect it when danger threatens. O let my child be commended to Thy care in body and soul.

Strengthen it also in the inward man. Sanctify it by Thy Holy Spirit, that it may be easily trained in obedience and the fear of God, be free from obstinacy, and, as a good child, listen and obey willingly. Give unto it Thy Holy Spirit and a godly heart, that I may have pleasure in my child here, and may one day enter with it into the eternal joy and glory of heaven. Amen.