*Baby Dedications are for children 2 and under.
We, as Christians, have a tremendous responsibility given to us when the Lord blesses us with a child. By
doing so, He entrusts us with the responsibility of raising that child in the way of the Lord and establishing a foundation built upon Jesus Christ early in his/her life. It is this tremendous responsibility that causes us to think of baby dedications as “family dedications.” We feel that the whole family needs to be lifted up to the Lord so that each member will be able to keep his or her commitment.
What exactly is involved in “dedicating” your child to the Lord? As mentioned, children are a heritage
from the Lord. He gives them to us to bless us, and because of this, we must be willing to give them back
to Him. We too must be willing to totally submit our children to the will of our Father. We are to do the most we can to “set apart” our children to God, to train them in the way they should go, until the day when they can make their own choice. By dedicating your child to the Lord, you are making a vow to raise him/her in His ways. Following are some ways in which you can fulfill this vow.
Know God’s gift of love – It is vital to know the gift of God's love in Jesus Christ personally as parents. In
Ephesians 2:6-9, the Bible says “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly
realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace,
expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and
this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Be a living example of Christ to your children – It does not do your child any good to instruct him/her in
the way of the Lord if you do not live as you believe. Therefore, it is good to always be examining yourself
and your witness to your children. In Proverbs 20:7, the Bible says “The righteous man leads a blameless
life; blessed (happy) are his children after him.” The primary reason for the blessed state of this man's
children is that they have someone to look up to and to use as an example to model their own behavior. We, as
parents, are encouraged to be that example to our children even as Christ is our example.
Instruct your children in the way of the Lord – We are taught in Ephesians 6:4 to “bring them (your
children) up in training and instruction of the Lord.” Proverbs 22:6 admonishes us to “train a child in the
way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.” If we, while our children are young, will
instruct them in His ways, we lay a foundation from which they will grow in the ways of God for a lifetime.
Pray constantly for your children – A parent's responsibility to pray for their child does not end at their dedication but continues throughout the rest of their life. We see an example of this in Job 1:5: “When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning, he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, „Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.‟ This was Job's regular custom.” James 5:16 tells us that “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” The prayers of Christ-centered parents powerfully cover their children and will produce effective change for a lifetime.
*Please know that there is no saving element in Please know that there is no saving element in this service for your child, but instead this is an opportunity for you, as parents to commit to seeking and trusting God as you strive to bring your child up in His ways.*
