CHILD DEDICATION
The title “Child Dedication” may imply that it primarily focuses on the child, and in some ways, it does. However, today is truly about us—as parents and as a church family. While it benefits the child, it starts with our commitment.
This is a moment of dedication—not just for a child, but for us.
Parents, you’re saying, “We’re in. We want to raise our child to know and love Jesus.” And as a church, we’re saying, “You’re not alone. We’re here for you.”
We don’t baptize infants; we wait until they’re old enough to choose for themselves. However, we do dedicate them, making a visible promise to remain faithful—as parents, as a church family, and to the God who gave us this child in the first place.
This isn’t just a symbol; it’s a declaration. By God’s grace, we will show up, keep going, and trust Him as we invest in the next generation.
Here’s what we’ll do this morning:
Parents, in just a moment, I’m going to ask you to come to the front. Your coming forward is a visible way of saying, “We’re committed.” It may feel small, but it matters. It communicates a lot.
Once you’re all up here, I’ll call each of you by name and pray over you and your child. After I finish praying, you can take your little one to the nursery. When you return, I’ll share a brief message to encourage and guide you in raising your child to love Jesus.
Parents, you can come forward now.
STONE ILLUSTRATION:
This morning, I’m giving you two stones—one rough and one polished. In many ways, they symbolize your child’s life: full of beauty, value, and potential, even if they are still a bit rough around the edges.
But how does a stone become polished? It takes time, pressure, and grit to polish the stone. Parenting is similar; it requires patience, faith, and daily commitment—trusting God to shape your child and to provide what you need to raise them.
So, allow me to pray for each of you.
DEDICATION PRAYER: See Sheet’s for first and second service.
Videos/Worship Song: Parents, you may now take your children to the nursery.
CHARGE TO THE PARENTS:
Parents, what you did today matters. But what is even more important is what you do tomorrow and the days that follow.
The Bible reminds us that God is the hero of our story. He called Abraham, guided Israel, and sent His Son to redeem us. It’s all by His grace. Never forget that. (Joshua 24:2–3)
But God also calls us to live with grit: to trust Him, choose Him, and guide our families in following Him. (Joshua 24:14–15)
So here’s your charge—the same one Moses gave God’s people: Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and strength. Talk about Him with your kids—not just at church, but also at home, on the road, at bedtime, and in the morning. (Deut. 6:5–7)
Here are three ways to put this into practice:
- Put God First
Keep Him at the center of your home.
Let everything flow from that. (Deut. 6:5–7; Josh. 24:14) - Lay Down the Idols
Let go of anything that competes with God. Don’t let school, sports, or comfort take the lead.
Let God guide your way. (Josh. 24:14–15) - Live Decided
Don’t live as if you’re still unsure. Be strong and courageous, like Joshua, and say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” then live it out—day by day. (Josh. 24:15)
You might not always feel strong, but remember, God is faithful. (Deut. 7:9)
Parenting isn’t easy. It takes trust and daily commitment. Your child is a gift. God has placed them in your hands to love, lead, and shape. Trust Him. Stay faithful. He’ll supply what you need.
CHURCH, STAND AND PRAY:
Father, we commit these families to You. Strengthen them by Your Spirit. May their homes honor Your name, and may their children grow to follow Jesus. Amen.
Moments like this matter—not just because we’re celebrating these young lives, but because we’re making a promise. A promise to walk alongside our children and show them what it means to love the Lord—not just with our words, but with our lives.
And that raises a deeper question for all of us: What does it truly mean to follow the Lord wholeheartedly—not only to start strong but also to finish strong?
This week in our chronological Bible reading, you will encounter kings, prophets, and leaders—all facing moments of crisis. What distinguishes them is not strategy or success, but the posture of their hearts.
And that brings us to a key verse from 2 Chronicles 16:9. That is our passage for this morning. It says…
“For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him. You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on.”
The first part of this verse is often quoted as encouragement. And don’t get me wrong, the first part is encouraging! But its context serves as a rebuke. It was spoken to King Asa.
Asa was a mostly faithful king who began well—leading Judah in spiritual reforms and trusting the Lord in battle. But over time, he began to drift. He relied on human alliances instead of seeking God, and when confronted by the prophet Hanani, he responded with defensiveness and imprisoned him.
I don’t have time to unpack his whole story today, but as you read this week, pay attention to that drift. Though Asa started with faith, his later years reveal a growing hardness of heart. Even in his suffering, he refused to turn to the Lord, choosing instead to rely only on physicians.
Asa’s story serves as a warning: a strong start doesn’t guarantee a strong finish. Having faith in the past doesn’t replace trust in the present.
God seeks wholehearted devotion—not just passion, but a steady, loyal heart. He doesn’t require perfection; He asks for faithfulness.
The question we should ask is this: Will the Lord find that kind of heart in me?
You might wonder: Can I live with that kind of devotion?
Yes. You can. Here’s the good news: Living with wholehearted devotion to the Lord brings peace. A settled heart that isn’t pulled in every direction.
In this week’s readings, you won’t find many examples of wholeheartedness. That’s a sad reality of the human heart.
But our verse reveals something that remains unchanged: God is still watching. He is still searching—scanning the earth—not for the strongest or even the most gifted, but for hearts that are wholly His. And when He finds them, He demonstrates His strength.
He defends, helps, and empowers. Yet, He doesn’t force His way into divided hearts. He responds to loyalty, trust, and a surrendered heart.
This is where the gospel becomes so precious to us. If we’re honest, we have all been like Asa. We’ve trusted in ourselves, relied on others for what only God can provide, and failed to seek God.
But here is the good news: there is one who never faltered: Jesus. His heart was fully surrendered. At the cross, He took our divided hearts and gave us His righteousness. He rose to make us new—to give us a new heart that can truly love God.
So when God says He’s looking for hearts that are fully His, the gospel declares: in Christ, you can be that person—not because you’re strong, but because He is.
(2 Corinthians 12:9; Phil. 2:13; Galatians 2:30)
Wholehearted devotion doesn’t mean you have all the answers. It means you’ve already decided to follow Jesus—no matter what.
Like Terry said, you’ve got to live decided. Make the call ahead of time: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Then live that out, one day at a time.
That’s what it means to be wholehearted. Not perfect. But anchored. Decided.
When we live that way, we find peace. Life may still be hard, but our hearts aren’t scattered. They’re settled. That’s the life God strengthens.
Isaiah 30:15 puts it this way:
“You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence. But you were not willing.”
There’s the promise—and the warning. But we can be the ones who return, who rest, who trust, who live fully devoted to Christ.
As we dedicate these children, let’s also commit ourselves to being the kind of people God strengthens: wholehearted, faithful, and fully His.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Thank You, Father, for watching and searching—not to crush, but to strengthen. Thank You for Jesus, the only One with a perfect heart. Help us live surrendered, not divided. Wholehearted, not half-hearted. And when we fail, bring us back to the cross, where grace makes us new. Amen.