God's Gift To Us

Dedicate \ded-i-kat\ (verb) 1. To devote to the worship of a divine being especially sacred rites; 2. To set apart for a definite purpose; 3. To inscribe or address as a compliment – dedication \ded-i-ka-shen\

We’ve all heard and even used the saying “God’s gift to _______” to invoke a supremacy of an individual or entity via a proven skill, ability, or possession. In our human eyes, no one can do it better than the person who is the recipient of this compliment. While it may seem flattering at the time, one must consider that he or she is a gift from God regardless of the role religion or spirituality plays in our lives. For example, as a younger man I made the erroneous mistake of thinking that I was God’s gift to women; it should’ve been obvious that mackkin’ was clearly not a strength. Ditto for my so-called athletic prowess – who would want a 5’9”, 140-pound power forward to play basketball above any level than the recreation leagues which after paying player fees, I would not have been guaranteed playing time? We all have been gifted a talent – or opportunity, if you may – to be the best we can possibly be. How we use it determines if the next door opens or closes, or simply stays cracked with a rock holding it open for a limited time.

Since February 13 Caeli Elise has been God’s gift to Chastity and me. We’ll officially dedicate her to Him on October 18.

What is a dedication ceremony? Where in the Bible can I find it?

An infant dedication is a ceremony in which Christian parents make a commitment to raise their child according to God’s will and train their child to follow Christ. They take responsibility in the baby’s spiritual upbringing until the child is able to make her own decisions of faith. Done publicly in front of a church body, baby dedications are performed in place of infant baptisms – and without the use of water.

In the Bible, the most commonly cited examples are in 1 Samuel 1:27-28 when Hannah dedicates her son Samuel to the Lord after God answers her prayers for a child. Joseph and Mary also bring Jesus to the Temple for this service in Luke 2:21-22.

We aim to raise Caeli the right way and fully acknowledge that her faith decision is ultimately hers when that time comes. Her dedication – as with any other baby or infant – commits the church’s resources into raising her. As everyone who has read the Dad Chronicles knows, it indeed takes a village to raise a child. As her parents, Chastity and I must note that she is God’s gift to us and that this public ceremony serves as a launch pad for a life guided by God’s will; from that moment forward, the work really begins.

#CAELISTRONG