Dedicating Cole

(Kids wearing Indian attire from their Aunt Michelle, who traveled there a few months after us last year)

Sunday at church we had the privilege to bring Cole before the Body of Christ and dedicate him to the Lord. (A lot of people ask us why we don't baptize our babes but instead dedicate them. The baptism issue is another post in itself but thought I'd explain about dedication here!)

The Bible does not command us to dedicate our children, nor does it command us to make such a vow. But it does tell us that if we do make a vow, it is a very serious thing to God (Numbers 30:2).

( Our pastor with Cole)

We specifically looked at Deuteronomy 6 and Psalm 78 which commands parents to tell the future generations the praises of the Lord. Not in a pastoral/preaching sort of way, but in a lifestyle way. ("...when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deut 6:7-9)

I also really liked verses 2-7 of Psalm 78:

"2I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
3Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us.
4We will not conceal them from their children,
But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.
5For He established a testimony in Jacob
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers
That they should teach them to their children,
6That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to
be born, That they may arise and tell them to their children,
7That they should put their confidence in God
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments..."

We do not, in any way, believe this dedication to have input on Cole's eternal destiny for we know that salvation comes after an individual's confession (Romans 10:13). We simply vow to teach him (as we have vowed for Lucy & Nate) the truths of God's Word and commit to pray for him to come to a saving knowledge of Him.

It was especially neat because there was another adopted child being dedicated, a four year old boy who just came home from Ethiopia in March.

It was a wonderful Mother's Day for me to have all my babies home with me!