to Hosanna and Hope
Tomorrow, you will stand before our church and the presence of God, as we dedicate you to the Lord. We have dedicated you already, without the agreement of the church and in a less formal way. Upon both of your births, when you came up from the water, we released you to God with thanksgiving. My hands were the first to touch you as you started to breathe your own air, and they were prayerful hands, aware (at least in part) that your momma and I are just frail and fallen stewards of your lives, for a short while. Tomorrow, one of our pastors, in agreement with the rest of our church, will pray this prayer over you:
“Together with your parents who love you dearly and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claim upon your life in the hope that you will belong wholly to the Lord, forever.”
May you come to celebrate the gospel of our God with all of your heart, and express it in all that you do. May it color the way you see the world. May God be your treasure and your delight, and may you settle for nothing less. And when you do settle for something less, may you humbly return to your gracious Father who gave his Son to pay your debt and take you in as his own, and may it cause you to glory in the gospel all the more.
Amen, brother. Thanks for sharing this prayer. May God truly help us to model for our children authentic faith in Christ and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. With each passing day of fatherhood, I have become increasingly convinced that these things don’t happen by good intentions or human effort – they are a genuine miracle and work of God’s grace.
Hosanna and Hope,
We think of you on this momentus day and hold you both close to our hearts.
You are gifts and lights in our lives.
Your birth was appointed and annointned by God – His Love, together with your parents love for each other
brought you into being.
Your life was surrended to our Lord from the very first moment and the knowing of your being.
However, Sunday, February 21s marks the day of the proclamation and dedication by your parents to your global family. We, your grandma and grandpa commit to uphold your life through prayer; thereby honoring your parents’ statement of faith for you “as we surrender together with them all worldy claim upon your life in the hope that you will belong wholly to the Lord, forever.”
May you always know of this wonderful inheritance, your true identity; that you are the beloved, adored daughters of Christ. May this realization and truth be passed down to your childern and your childrens children.
May you always know how much we love you.
Love,
Grandma and Grandpa
I love this post Jeff…well done. Yes and amen, brother. Yes and amen.