Baby Dedication

 

Congratulations!  What a joy it is to have little children in the home.  Children are a blessing from the Lord, yet they present many challenges to us as parents.  I believe that God uses us to teach them... He also uses them to teach us.  The bottom line is that we need to have God in the home, bringing comfort, direction, strength, and hope to our family experience.

To dedicate your child to the Lord is more than just a religious ceremony that stirs warm feelings in the hearts of proud parents.   As Pastor, I am deeply interested in seeing strong, stable, Spirit-filled families in our congregation.  I feel a responsibility to provide spiritual leadership for those who are called to be spiritual leaders in their own homes. 

I believe it is so important for us to leave a spiritual legacy to our children.  (Pr. 22:6) "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."  Modeling our faith before our children is vital to their spiritual development.  They will learn more from observing who you are than by listening to what you say.  The responsibility of raising kids is great.  If our children see compromise  in our lives, they will learn to compromise themselves.   If the child sees only the mother involved in spiritual things he, or she, will grow up thinking that Christianity is childish.  One of the most important characteristics a parent must have is consistency.  Consistency in discipline, consistency with morals, and ethics, consistency with faith.  This will provide a secure atmosphere for your children to grow up in.  Raising children to be champions for God involves more than just having a ceremony in church when they're very small.  You are dedicating them to God's work.  You are also committing  to raise them up in the ways of the Lord.

Please read 1 Samuel 1:2-28.  Hannah, who was childless, was blessed by the Lord.  God opened her womb and allowed her to conceive.  She knew it was God's favor in her life.  When she gave birth to Samuel, and had finished weaning him, she and Elkanah, her husband, took Samuel and dedicated him to the Lord.  Their intention was that this child would be used by the Lord. They knew that they were surrendering ownership of this child; they knew the child now belonged to God.   They were actively putting themselves in the position of being caretakers of God's property.  

When we dedicate a child to the Lord, (scripturally) it does not secure their salvation.   When a child reaches the age of accountability (this can differ from child to child) he or she, must make their own decision to turn to God for forgiveness of sins and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.  Does dedicating them make them more apt to make this decision?  Absolutely; the Almighty takes note of anything that we have committed to Him.  The scripture says (2 Timothy 1:12) "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to keep what I have entrusted to Him for that day."  It is indeed a step of faith that must be followed by many steps of faith.

When you dedicate your child to the Lord, not only are you publicly stating that you take responsibility with God's help to raise this child to know Jesus, but the fellowship of believers also join with you to help your child grow through prayer, personal relationship and a responsibility to model a solid Christian lifestyle before them.  

Please consider these things prayerfully, if you have any questions please feel free to call me.

 

Thank you,

Richard Conley

Senior Pastor Trinity Life Center