Today, there was a dedication service at my church, and below is my sermon, after the dedication. The mother’s and child’s names have been changed.
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
This morning, Shiloh was dedicated. The dedication consisted of three parts. In part one, we prayed that Shiloh would surrender his life to God and accept Christ as his Saviour and Lord. In part two, we prayed for Shiloh’s mother, that Isme would dedicate herself to raising the child in a loving way and teaching Shiloh the Christian faith. In part three, we prayed that the Church would encourage and support Isme through prayer and nurture. I would like to take a few minutes to review each of these three parts.
Isme wanted to have Shiloh dedicated, and as a church, it’s an absolute pleasure to fulfil their wishes. Each time a child is dedicated, I am reminded of the Old Testament story of Hannah and Samuel. Hannah didn’t have any children, and she lived in a society where having children was normal. This meant that parents could grow old knowing their children would care for them. There was no government pension and no safety net. Hannah was childless and was often provoked because of it. In her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life.”
The Lord answered Hannah’s prayer, and Samuel was born. Hannah faced the difficult decision of keeping her promise to God by returning Samuel to the Lord. What did this mean for Hannah and Samuel? It meant that Hannah, who desperately wanted a child, would travel to the town of Shiloh to hand Samuel over to the priest Eli, who resided near the Tabernacle. Hannah would once again be without a child, and to see Samuel, she would have to travel a great distance. Eli and his family would now be responsible for looking after the baby boy.
Today, Isme won’t be physically handing Shiloh over to the church, but she says she wants God to look after Shiloh. She says she wants Shiloh to stay in God’s presence every day, to be directed and guided by God. She wants Shiloh to grow up knowing God, loving God, and giving his life to God.
Children rely entirely on their parents for food, clothing, encouragement, guidance, and love. Likewise, Isme desires Shiloh to be wholly dependent on God. God also wishes Shiloh to grow and mature in his knowledge of Him and in his efforts to become more like Christ throughout his life. Shiloh may be an infant now, but God does not want Shiloh to remain a spiritual infant.
Isme believes that God will guide Shiloh in her life. Isaiah wrote,”The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” John wrote,”But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” Yes, God will guide Shiloh if he permits God to lead him.
We prayed for Shiloh’s mother, asking that Isme would dedicate herself to lovingly nurturing her child and teaching Shiloh the Christian faith. Isaiah tells us that, “parents are to tell their children about God’s faithfulness.” To do this, Isme needs to experience God’s faithfulness herself. Today, our prayer for Isme is that, as the years pass, she will grow closer to God. Our hope is that God would be with them, not only during good times but also when challenges come. It is exactly in those tough moments, when she walks through the Valley of the shadow of death, that she can feel God’s presence and find comfort in His rod and staff.
The Bible also tells us that parents should teach their children about God. Solomon wrote, “Train children in the way they should go; when they grow old, they won’t depart from it.” Isme, if you teach Shiloh the ways of the Lord while he is young, he will keep his faith in God as he grows older.
Paul says, “Parents, don’t provoke your children in a way that ends up discouraging them.” Yes, we need to discipline our children, but we must do so in a way that doesn’t discourage them. The good news is that children can be innocent and wonderful, yet they are also impressionable. Today, Isme is to be the hope and love that Shiloh needs in this world.
Back in the Old Testament, Moses wrote, “But be on guard and watch yourselves closely so that you don’t forget the things your eyes saw and so they never leave your mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and your grandchildren.” There are many things a child needs to learn in life outside of school, and their parents are best suited to teach these. So, Isme, teach Shiloh the ways of life. Teach him to walk the narrow path that leads to life.
Lastly, we prayed that the Church would encourage and support Isme through prayer and nurturing. There is a proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” And this is a biblical truth. We are relational; God created us to need others. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church, saying, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Here are several ways we can encourage Isme.
Speaking. Our spoken words can foster healing and encouragement. Paul told the church in Ephesus, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Writing. Write an encouraging note to Isme, or send a message via text or social media.
Helping. Helpers use their everyday skills to support others. Coming to wash the dishes and tidy the kitchen will give Isme a rest.
Giving. I want to introduce you to someone who genuinely values encouraging others. Barnabas is mentioned in the Book of Acts. He was a fellow missionary with Paul. We find Barnabas in Acts 4:36 & 37, where Luke wrote, “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means 'son of encouragement’),” sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Barnabas was a name given to him; his real name was Joseph. However, because of his practical acts of encouragement, he was called Barnabas. In these two verses, we see that he sold some land and gave the proceeds to others. This was significant and came at a cost to Barnabas.
Presence. Simply being there for Isme, having an adult to talk to, can be a great relief for Isme.
Hospitality. Jesus was always eating, and the apostles encouraged us to be hospitable. Peter said, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling,” and Paul said, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality.” So, as a church, we are all encouraged to invite Isme and Shiloh round for a meal.
Finally, we can pray for Isme and Shiloh. Paul consistently urged the churches to pray for him.
And so, in conclusion, let us pray for Shiloh that he may dedicate his life to our Lord Jesus Christ when he is older. Let us pray for Isme that she may draw closer to God each day and surrender her life to Him, and in doing so, learn from God how to care for Shiloh in these early days of his life. And let us pray for ourselves as the church, that we may encourage Isme in these early days of parenthood through words and actions.