child dedication

As a child, Jesus was brought by Mary and Joseph to the house of the Lord. This was an act of dedication and recognition that He really belonged to God. Throughout His ministry, people brought children to Jesus and He placed His hands on each of them, and blessed them.

Christians are to recognize that everything we have belongs to God. The children born to our homes belong to Him as well. This dedication is not the salvation of the child, but is a public expression of the fact that they belong to Him. This "setting apart" is an act by the parents prayerfully declaring the child belongs to God. The parents are to seek to do everything in their power, as God gives them wisdom, to see that the child grows up to respect and honor God, and to love and serve Jesus Christ.

The dedication service is more than a ritual. It's a commitment of parents to honor the will and the Word of God. As a part of this dedication, you as parents are asked to:

• Publicly affirm your personal faith in Christ, and renew your dedication to Him and His Word.
• Pray daily for God's dedication in your lives and in the lives of your children.
• Faithfully participate in Sunday church activities with your children.
• Teach your children the truths of God's Word in your home.
• Anticipate and seek to lead your children to a personal faith in Christ as soon as they are ready.
• Recognize that your children belong to God and have been born to experience His love and to serve Him.