A Heritage from the Lord

I especially enjoy Sunday services when children are dedicated to the Lord. Yesterday's service was an even greater blessing as three families who are good friends of mine had their children dedicated. The ceremony is a public commitment by the parents, as well as their church family, to raise their children in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is a dedication of our children to seek the Lord's blessing on them and to guide us in raising them to know Him. Unlike other faiths, we believe that baptism is reserved for those who have placed their trust in Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Raising my daughter to one day know Jesus as her Savior is the number one priority in my life. Knowing the journey of faith that each of these three families has travelled and seeing their desire to raise godly children who will some day know the joy of having their sins forgiven through the shed blood of Christ is one of the many things that bond us as a church family. Yet is also reminds me of the countless others who choose to raise their children apart from God. It reminds me of others who profess faith in Jesus Christ, but refuse to become part of a church family that will walk along side them and help them to spiritually impact their children.

Quite frankly, it is beyond my comprehension why parents who desire the best for their children would choose to raise them apart from a Christian community. Nothing apart from principles rooted in Scripture leads anyone towards peace, truth, grace, forgiveness, kindness, patience, goodness, gentleness and self control. As our culture moves closer and closer to the notion of pursuing personal pleasure, promoting self and forsaking the needs of others, we must recognize that the job of parenting is going to become more and more difficult.

Psalm 127:3 reminds us that our children are a heritage from the Lord--a prized gift that He has blessed us with and entrusted to us. But notice how this psalm begins in verse 1: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Any foundation other than Jesus Christ truly is shifting sand.