McPhee and Me: Dedication of Lucy Margaret McPhee

Today Lucy was dedicated to the Lord in the presence of our church family (and actual family) at Soma Church in Renton.

WHY WE DEDICATED LUCY:

We love you, Lucy Margaret, and pray for your salvation, that we will raise you according to the Gospel and that God will call you to great and wonderful things that bring glory to His Name!

We want to dedicate Lucy in order to make a covenant with her and with our church family to raise her in such a way that she might always know the Gospel: The truth of what Jesus did for her, and how God sees her in light of this sacrifice. Though dedicating our daughter doesn't guarantee her salvation, we dedicate her in obedience to God, that we will do all in our power to live out the Gospel in her life, while relying on God to call her and transform her heart.

Specifically raising Lucy in the Gospel means teaching her of God's love, Jesus' sacrifice, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Through our words and actions (including asking for forgiveness in humility when we are wrong), we can demonstrate the Gospel to her in tangible ways. We will discipline in accordance with the Word, and seek to love her as Christ loves us, that is, sacrificially. We also are calling upon our church family to share with us in this task--we ask them to set an example for Lucy, both now and in their future, in their words and in their actions so that she might truly know what the body of Christ ought to look like on earth.

We also want to recognize the precedent in scripture of dedicating the firstborn to God. We understand that the firstborn child is a precious gift, and that, as the most important thing to us, it is important that we do not withhold her from the Lord; in dedicating Lucy we are declaring that, though she is the most precious thing to us, she truly belongs to the Lord.

EXCERPTS FROM OUR CHARGE AS PARENTS:

Jesus called us to go, make disciples and teach them to observe everything He commanded us. The primary responsibility of making disciples (of our children) falls to us as parents:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

The New Testament is also filled with instructions for those who are trusting Jesus, having been transformed by His power into God’s people. Parents, the Gospel message contains implications for every facet of our lives, not the least of which is raising children.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do,whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Colossians 3:12-21

PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

Our elder, Micah Storer, stepped in to dedicate Lucy as Pastor John came down with the flu

Micah had a captive audience in Lucy!

In true Lucy style she spit up (epically) in the middle of it all!

Father, we acknowledge and receive by faith your gift of grace poured out on us in your son, Jesus. It is by His blood that you have made forgiveness of sins and a righteousness by faith available to us so that we can stand in your presence today, trusting that you hear us. Children are a blessing from you and we rejoice in the gift of Lucy to this wonderful family.

First we pray for Isaac and Katie today, asking that you would continue to enable them by the power of your Spirit to commit themselves wholeheartedly to raising Lucy to observe all that Jesus commanded us. Help them, Father, to create an environment in their home which declares and demonstrates the truth of the Gospel. Lead them to a life of dependance and trust, growing in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that all glory would go to Him in their home. Help them not to provoke their children to anger by the way they treat them. Rather, help them to bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from You. Father, help them to pray constantly for Lucy.

Secondly we pray for Lucy. We pray, Father, for you to grant her faith and repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Give spiritual wisdom and insight to Lucy that she may grow in her knowledge of You. We pray that Lucy’s heart will be flooded with light so that she can understand the confident hope You give to all those You call. That Lucy will understand the incredible greatness of Your power for those who believe; the power which raised Christ from the dead.

We pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources You will empower Lucy with inner strength through Your Spirit. And that christ will make his home in Lucy’s heart as she trusts in Him. That her roots will grow down into Your love and keep her strong. And may she have the power to understand, as all Your people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is. May she experience the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. That Lucy will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

I pray that Lucy’s love will overflow more and more, and that she will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. That Lucy would understand what truly matters, so that she may live pure and blameless until the day of Christ’s return. May Lucy always be filled with the fruit of her salvation -- the righteous character produced in one’s life by Jesus Christ -- so that Lucy will bring much glory and praise to God.

Thirdly we pray for the body of Christ, your Church, to surround and support the McPhees as they raise and disciple Lucy. Help us to speak the truth in love to one another as we think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Raise up mentors and helpers in this family to walk with Isaac and Katie. Jesus, help us to love one another as you have loved us so that the world will see we are your disciples.

Father, we dedicate Lucy Margaret McPhee to you today in the mighty name of Jesus. AMEN!