CORD CARE

At birth, the placenta and umbilical cord start contracting to pump blood toward the newborn, and during this time, many good physiological "gifts" are passed to the infant. In fact, this can be considered nature's first stem cell transplant.

In a scientific review published March of this year, it was suggested that when infants are born, the clamping of the umbilical cord should be delayed. Currently in Western medicine, early clamping (from 30 seconds to 1 minute after birth) is common practice among obstetricians and midwives. I have to stop here and wonder why early clamping even started when it seems reasonable to let nature do its job. Perhaps folks are so pressed for time that they cut corners everywhere possible–even at the expense of the newly born.

All of this sounds simply scientific, but what if there were a spiritual element too?

Jesus said that we must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. As a physical newborn, we were born of the flesh. As reborns in Christ, we are born of spirit (John 3:5-7). Both births involve umbilical cords. If delayed clamping of the physical umbilical cord is better for a newborn, then likewise, delayed clamping of the spiritual cord makes for a healthier reborn.

Our Heavenly Father longs to give us good gifts, especially at rebirth. In Ephesians 4, the Bible tells us that God gives us these gifts so that we become mature, so that we will no longer be infants. Our greatest gift is the Holy Spirit. Our greatest promise is that God will never leave or forsake us; He will never clamp or cut His spiritual cord to us.

However, there is another spiritual umbilical cord to consider–the one to the Church. When reborns are birthed in the church altars, they become tethered to the body of Christ. I searched the Bible and couldn’t find any text which indicates that the Church is supposed to clamp or cut this cord early. So why is it that this is common practice? How many times does the Church lead someone to Christ and them leave them deposited at the altar? No follow up, no training, no discipleship.

So what does proper cord care look like? The Bible lays out the details of how to handle these newly reborn folks. Jesus gave us a great commission: Therefore go and make disciples of them, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey His commandments (Matthew 28:19-20). We should share with them the love, acceptance, encouragement, and wisdom through the blood of Christ that runs through our lives.