Song:

Scripture:

1 Samuel 1:19-28 NLT

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

19 The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, 20 and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[f] for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

21 The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.[g]”

23 “Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise.[h]” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.

24 When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull[i] for the sacrifice and a basket[j] of flour and some wine. 25 After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.26 “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. 27 I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. 28 Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they[k] worshiped the Lord there.

Luke 2:21-24 NLT

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.”[a] 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[b]

Joshua 24:14-15 NLT

14 “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Devotional:

There was a tradition in Israel that when your child was eight days old, they were brought to the Priest and dedicated to God. If the child was a male, then this is when they were circumcised.

We see that Hannah, who prayed for a child for a long time, gave birth to Samuel and not only dedicated him to God but gave him over to God. The Bible says that Mary brought Jesus to the temple to be dedicated as a child.

You might ask what is the point of dedicating your child if they can’t get baptized until they are old enough to decide to follow Jesus. Why do we dedicate them, and is this beneficial for them? This is a great question.

Truth is what you do when you dedicate your child to God is acknowledge as a Christian parent, I need God to be active in my family. I need God to guide me as I raise this child. God give me wisdom and patience. God help me to train them up in your ways. I am asking God to bless, lead, and be with my child as they are growing up.

Dedication is just as much for the parents as it is for the kids. It is the parent saying I am going to lead my child and train my child in the truth, so when they are of age they can know God and make the decision to follow him. And then get baptized.

At Clawson we started dedicating whole families to God also, which I think is a beautiful thing. It is a public dedication that your family is following God. 

In the book of Joshua we see the culture and the people choosing to follow other Gods, or just not follow God and Joshua stands before the people of Israel in Chapter 24 and makes this famous statement. You choose today who you will serve, but as for me and my house… we will serve the Lord. That is what you are doing when you are dedicating your family to God.

Journal:

Have you dedicated your family to the Lord? In your journal, take some time to remember that day, how you felt, and how your life and the life of your family  is different now. If you have not, what’s holding you back?

Training:

If you are ready to take that next step today is the day to dedicate your family! Get signed up for our next celebration Sunday by filling out our application. 

https://clawson.churchcenter.com/people/forms/804668