Born Blessed

Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. – Psalm 51:5 (NRSVUE) 

While my son was in utero, his mom and I searched for daycare. Why not the one at the nearby church? Well… 

“What role does the church play in this daycare?” I asked. 

“Pastor visits weekly! The children learn early on they were born with sin in their hearts,” the director proudly replied. 

All these years later, I’m angered by the accusation that before my child’s heart could beat on its own, sin was pumping through his veins. What transgression could a fetus commit? Are we born condemned, and that’s the whole story? Surely, the Author of Life doesn’t end with that. 

In Psalm 51, we meet a sobbing, repentant mess of a human, prostrate before God, begging for forgiveness. In verse 5, they see no hope or promise in themselves, even damning the fertilization of their wretched life. Yikes! Reading nothing else, that one verse becomes a death sentence.  

Despite deep shame, this self-loathing psalmist knows condemnation is not the end of the story: “Create in me a clean heart. Teach me your wisdom and I will teach others. Open my lips and I’ll declare your praise.” They pray for a return to newborn blessedness. 

Imagine how powerful it would be to teach children early on that they were born blessed, that their hearts pumped God’s mercy and grace, their lungs inflated to breathe the Holy Spirit, bones formed to declare joyful praise.  

We might feel broken now, but we were born whole.  

We will sin on this side of the womb, but we were born blessed.  

Prayer
Re-create in me a clean heart and willing spirit, O God. Open my lips to proclaim all creation is born blessed. Amen.

About the Author
Chris Mereschuk (He/Him) is an Unsettled Pastor based in Northampton, MA. He is the Founder of RevCJM, LLC Consulting & Coaching, specializing in vitality, transformation, and Legacy.