Introduction
Shichi-Go-San (literally "seven-five-three") is a Japanese festival held around November 15, when children aged 3, 5 and 7 dress in traditional clothes, have their photos taken and receive long candies that symbolize a long life. Many families visit a Shinto shrine, but Christian families often prefer to thank God during worship or at a blessing in church. These 20 verses, quoted from the World English Bible, are grouped into four themes: children as a gift from God, thanksgiving for growth, the prayer of blessing, and the calling of parents. Use them in a prayer, a card or a family meal.
Children Are a Gift from God
1. Psalm 127:3
"Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward."
The psalmist says that children are a heritage from Yahweh and a reward. Your child is not something you earned; this is a life God has entrusted to you. On Shichi-Go-San, as you look at your child in festive clothes, begin by thanking God for giving him or her to you. This way of seeing things also sustains you on difficult days. Read all of Psalm 127.
2. Psalm 139:13
"For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb."
God formed each of us in our mother's womb. The children who walk proudly in their kimono on Shichi-Go-San are the visible fruit of that unseen hand. Remember together as a family the birth and the early years, and then quietly thank the God who knit your child together with such care. Read all of Psalm 139.
3. Psalm 139:14
"I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well."
The psalmist praises God because he is fearfully and wonderfully made. Every child is made in this way. Before comparing your child with others or hurrying them along, remember that God delights in who they are. While you look at photos of their growth, tell them, "You are God's handiwork." Read all of Psalm 139.
4. Psalm 128:3
"Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house, your children like olive plants around your table."
This psalm compares children to olive plants around the table. The family table is a small place of worship. Before the festive meal, why not offer a short prayer of thanks? Being able to sit around the table together every day is already a blessing that many forget to notice. Read all of Psalm 128.
5. Mark 10:14
"But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these."
Jesus said, "Allow the little children to come to me," because God's Kingdom belongs to such as these. On Shichi-Go-San your child is welcome in church. Do not keep them away for the sake of grown-up convenience; open the way to God for them. Sunday school is often the first step on that road. Read all of Mark 10.
Giving Thanks for Growth
6. Luke 2:52
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."
The young Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people. Growth has several sides: body, mind, relationships and life with God. Shichi-Go-San celebrates height and weight, but it can also celebrate the heart and faith. God sees what the photographs do not show. Read all of Luke 2.
7. 1 Samuel 2:26
"The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh and also with men."
The child Samuel grew and found favor with Yahweh and with people. He served God from his earliest years. Letting a child grow familiar with God's house from a young age matters a great deal. Pray as a family that your child will grow up loved by God, among the people who gather for worship. Read all of 1 Samuel 2.
8. Psalm 103:2
"Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits,"
The psalmist speaks to his own soul: praise Yahweh and do not forget his benefits. If your child has grown up safe so far, that is not something to take for granted. Take time to recall the illnesses, the falls and the victories, counting them one by one with thanks, as you would leaf through a photo album. Read all of Psalm 103.
9. Psalm 107:1
"Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever."
Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good and his loving kindness endures forever. Gratitude does not depend only on what went well. Even through the tiring years of raising children, God's faithfulness did not change. At the Shichi-Go-San meal, read this verse aloud together as a family, as a declaration of thanks. Read all of Psalm 107.
10. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you."
Paul writes: in everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you. Shichi-Go-San is a good moment to put gratitude into words. Tell your child, "Thank you for growing up." Thank the grandparents and the church family who have supported you, too. Thankfulness is the kind of faith you most want to pass on. Read all of 1 Thessalonians 5.
The Prayer of Blessing
11. Numbers 6:24-26
"‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you. Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’"
This is the blessing the priests spoke over the people: blessing, protection, light, grace and peace. At a Shichi-Go-San blessing, the pastor may pray this over the children. At home, before bedtime, place your hand on your child's head and speak this blessing aloud yourself. Read all of Numbers 6.
12. Mark 10:16
"He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them."
Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. Blessing cannot be separated from an embrace. On Shichi-Go-San, hold your child close in festive clothes and say, "God loves you." That warmth will stay in your child's heart for a long time, far longer than any photograph. Read all of Mark 10.
13. Psalm 115:14
"May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children."
May Yahweh increase you and your children. This is a prayer that entrusts the future to God. When you think about your child's future, worry can rise up, but this prayer lets you place it in his hands. On Shichi-Go-San, pray together that the Lord will enrich your child's life. Read all of Psalm 115.
14. Psalm 91:11
"For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways."
God puts his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. In a small child's life there are moments your eyes cannot follow. Lay down your worry about not always being able to watch over them, and place it on this promise. To pray is to hand to God what you cannot carry alone. Read all of Psalm 91.
15. Psalm 121:7-8
"Yahweh will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul. Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more."
Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in. Every day your child leaves for nursery or school and comes home again, and God watches over those comings and goings. The year of Shichi-Go-San often coincides with starting school. Each morning you can bless your child with this verse before they leave. Read all of Psalm 121.
The Calling of Parents and Passing On the Faith
16. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
"These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up."
God commands us to keep his words on our heart, teach them to our children, and talk of them at home and on the road. Faith is passed on less through special classes than through everyday conversation. Speak naturally about God's grace during the preparations and the festive meal. Sunday school and family walk together. Read all of Deuteronomy 6.
17. Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. This proverb is not a guarantee of results, but a word of wisdom that encourages parents. At the age of Shichi-Go-San, habits and trust are being laid down. Cultivate prayer and worship patiently, little by little. Read all of Proverbs 22.
18. Ephesians 6:4
"You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Paul urges fathers not to provoke their children to wrath, but to nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Parents are imperfect, and sometimes we scold in anger. When that happens, apologize to your child and ask God for help. A parent who repents gives a child a lesson in faith. Read all of Ephesians 6.
19. Psalm 78:4
"We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done."
We will not hide them from their children, but tell the next generation the praises of Yahweh. As you look at your Shichi-Go-San photos and keepsakes, tell your child what God has done for your family. The testimony of grandparents is a treasure. The story of God's grace has weight when it is handed on. Read all of Psalm 78.
20. Isaiah 54:13
"All your children will be taught by Yahweh; and your children’s peace will be great."
All your children will be taught by Yahweh, and great will be their peace. In the end, your child's teacher is neither you nor the church, but the Lord himself. Your strength is limited, yet you can pray with confidence that he will teach them. Shichi-Go-San renews that trust. Read all of Isaiah 54.
Further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Shichi-Go-San be celebrated in a Christian church?
Yes. Many Japanese churches invite children to the front of the congregation at this time of year, and the pastor prays for them. It is not a Shinto purification but a prayer of thanksgiving that entrusts the child to God. Ask your own church what it offers.
Which Bible verse suits Shichi-Go-San?
Psalm 127:3, which says children are a heritage of Yahweh, is chosen very often. The blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 and Mark 10:16 also suit a blessing service well. Choose according to your child's age.
What can we do at home to bless our children?
Offer a short prayer of thanks before the meal, then place your hand on your child's head and read the blessing from Numbers 6. No big preparation is needed; what matters is speaking God's word with affection.