Baby Dedication

Today is the Dedication service for my twin grandbabies.  Of course, I made a cake to commemorate this special event.  I was wondering what I was going to write about in this post and it occurred to me that so many people don’t really know what a dedication is.

Most religions have some sort of baby ceremony.  I was raised Catholic and was christened or baptized as a baby.  I became a Protestant as a young adult and experienced believer baptism at that point.  Baptism in some Protestant churches only occurs when the individual can consciously proclaim their faith in Christ, while a few others still perform baby baptisms.  It all becomes a little confusing with the dual use of the word “baptism”.

It is almost instinctive in Christian parents to present their children to the Lord.  A baby dedication is an opportunity for such a presentation.  It is a time when parents publicly proclaim that they are committed to raising the child in the way the Bible has instructed.  It is also a surrender of sorts for the parents – acknowledgement that this child’s life is in the hands of the Lord. 

My favorite part of the service is when the church body stands and makes a commitment to watch over the child and its parents, and to support them in their promise to God.  In a small church like ours, that can be an amazing thing.  Most members know everyone and openly express their love and concern for each other.  There is something wonderful about being loved by so many when you are facing difficult times or when you want to share joyful moments.  Today will be very special for all of us.