There is probably no more joyous occasion in the life of a family than the birth of a baby. Whether you are looking for prayers to privately dedicate your baby to the Lord, or you plan to have a church ceremony, this is a time to celebrate. It’s an opportunity for many people connected to the child to acknowledge this awesome gift of life. It’s also a timely opportunity to give thanks to God, and to pray for the baby's faith and future, especially because the Bible says that “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3).
The practice of a baby dedication has Old Testament roots. The Mosaic Law stated that, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” (Luke 2:23). The most important baby dedication of all time took place when Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem to dedicate an eight-day-old baby Jesus to the Lord in the temple. While we are not required to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons as they needed to do, we can offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to the Giver of Life!
Depending upon the church denomination of the baby's family, a baby dedication service may look and sound different. But the idea remains the same regardless: that the family and the church are committing together to raise up the child in the ways of the Lord and so that he/she would come to know Jesus in a personal way.
The following are examples of prayers for parents, grandparents, and church members to offer up to the Lord on this marvelous occasion!
Heavenly Father, Creator of all things, we can’t begin to thank you enough for the gift of this child and we dedicate him/her to you. Like Mary, we say, “my spirit rejoices in God my savior…the Almighty has done great things for me”. (Luke 1:46, 47, 49). We are so grateful for your perfect example of parenthood, and pray that you will help us raise this child to walk in your ways. We are so grateful that Jesus, our Shepherd “leads us in paths of righteousness” (Psalm 23:3) and the Holy Spirit is our comforter and guide on this journey.
Lord, we thank you that your word says that this baby was knit together by you in the womb (Psalm 139:13). We are in awe at the thought that our child is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) by you. This child belongs to you first and we dedicate him/her to you. We pray that because you know everything about our baby, you will make known to us how to best raise this child in the fear and knowledge of you (Ephesians 6:4).
Most merciful God, you know what this child means to this family, and we can’t begin to express to you enough how grateful we are that you chose us as parents. We know what an awesome responsibility it is to raise a child and we ask you to impress your word on the heart of our child (Deuteronomy 6:7) as we teach how you want all of your children to live. We pray for the strength and patience to, as the Bible admonishes us ‘not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged” (Colossians 3:21). Our role is to encourage this child, especially to love you with their whole heart.
Abba Father, thank you that you are the giver of all good things. This child is proof that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). May we also pray for the means to steward this gift well and teach him/her to love the good news of Jesus Christ–the greatest gift of all.
Most merciful Lord, you were so gracious to give us the gift of a child who now has a child of his/her own to raise. Together as a family we dedicate this child to your care. Thank you that your word says "Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children” (Proverbs 17:6). We pray that as grandparents, we will help them to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
Abba Father, we know that you work for the good of those who love you, those who have been called according to your purpose (Romans 8:28). What an amazing promise that you offer to this new life that we dedicate back to you. We fervently pray that one day this child will lay down his/her will in favor of your own and that nothing will separate this child from your love for all of eternity (Romans 8:38-39). We pray that you will grow us more into the likeness of Christ so that we can be witnesses of your goodness, grace and mercy to this child.
Lord, we know that you are Jehovah Shalom (God our Peace). We pray peace over our entire family that we all may be one as you and the Son and Holy Spirit are one. May we work together to show this child the surpassing greatness of living life with you. Protect this dedicated child from the world, the flesh and the devil whose aim it is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Make this child that we dedicate to you a trophy of your grace, an oak of righteousness for the display of your splendor (Isaiah 61:3).
Heavenly Father, thank you for being this child’s shepherd and for walking with him/her every day. Thank you that you promise to make this child lie down in green pastures and lead him/her beside still waters. We are so grateful that you are a God who restores our souls. When this child encounters suffering in life, we pray you would bring to mind “...do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Thank you that you never let go, Lord.
Most merciful God, once again you have blessed our church with a child that we dedicate to you. Jesus taught us that whoever receives a child in his name receives Jesus himself (Mark 9:37). We thank you and ask that you would make your presence known to this family every day, and that this child would grow up in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We commit as a church body to support this family and this child in their walk of faith in Jesus, giving to them what you give to us in order to be exceptional witnesses of your grace and mercy. We ask for the opportunity to disciple this child, along with the parents, so that they may live each day in faith, keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of their life and faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Lord, we pray that this child you have given to our church family, whom we dedicate to you and your service, will be able to keep the Sabbath holy. Please give us the opportunity to help educate this child in Sunday School, and to worship with this child and his/her family. As we fellowship with one another, we make our promise to you that we will show this child love, minister to the family’s needs, and share the truth of the gospel in every way we can.
I pray these baby dedication prayers encourage you, whether you are a parent, grandparent, or church member, to embrace the amazing gift of new life God gives and to raise the children in your life in the ways of the Lord so they come to know His goodness and mercy.
Photo credit: Angela Duxbury/Unsplash
Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
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