Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

24 March 2025

Reading From Luke 2:1-24

“When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

—Luke 2:22-24

     Today in evangelical churches that do not practice infant baptism, it is often customary for parents to present their newborn before the congregation and have the pastor anoint them with oil and pray over them.  This is called a baby dedication and while we do believe that God answers our prayers concerning babies, it is more a consecration of the parents that they would raise the child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  The congregation commits themselves to setting a godly example for the family and the baby and to support their healthy development.  This custom echoes what Hannah did for Samuel when she set him apart for the Lord’s service,

“When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good hisword.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.” –I Samuel 1:21-23

At first glance, modern parents might read this and not identify with Hannah because the idea in our modern context is not to take the baby to the church and leave he or she there to live and be raised by ministers, but when we interpret other Scriptures in harmony with this one, baby dedications make more sense. 

     When we consider that the House of the Lord consists of the eternal family of God, then parents can certainly identify with Hannah’s actions.  The hope of all Christian parents is that their child will grow up to know and love Jesus as they do and experience all that He has for their lives.  King David’s desire for this is recorded in Psalm 23, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” 

     In David’s day he would have understood the House of the Lord to be the Tabernacle and later the Temple, but a feature of the New Covenant is that God not only dwells with His people, but within them.  II Timothy 1:14 reminds us, “Protect, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”  Each individual believer is a temple of God and He is bringing us together in unity to become a mighty Temple, the House of the Lord.  It is our desire that our children dwell in His House, following His ways, all the days of their lives and so enjoy His blessings.

“Lord Jesus, I pray for the children all over the world.  Many of them do not have adequate food, water, shelter and clothing.  I pray that believers everywhere would recognize the physical and spiritual needs of the children in their communities and extend the love of Jesus to them in practical ways.  Show us how we can be a blessing to children and their families.  May we set good examples for them to follow as we follow You.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray these things.  Amen.”

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

—Mark 10:13-16

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

—Ephesians 6:4