WHY CHILD DEDICATION?

The parent/child dedication is a public commitment before God, your church, and your family. The dedication service provides you, the parents, an opportunity to publicly express your desire to lead and spiritually nurture your child in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, so your child will develop a desire to love God and love others. The scriptural root of a child dedication is found in 1 Samuel 1:27-28 where a Godly woman named Hannah prayed year after year to the Lord to give her a child. God answered her prayer and she gave birth to a son whom she named Samuel. After Samuel was born, Hannah prayed these words:

“For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition, which I asked of Him. So, I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.”

In Luke 2, found in the New Testament, after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple and dedicated Him. In both Scripture verses, the parents were willing to entrust completely their child to God. There are other verses in the Bible describing how a parent should raise up a child. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 reads:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”

God puts people and places in your child’s path to help you spiritually lead him/her. One of your first steps in remembering your child is a gift from God is a public dedication.