Josiah 10-06

Family Dedication

Josiah Ariki Hall

22 October 2006

An Affirmation of God’s Love & Our Commitment

Our purpose today is to dedicate the parents and family to the task of being a godly influence into the life of Josiah Ariki Hall. I recommend a baby dedication yet take place at your home church.

Let me make it clear that this dedication will not get Josiah a foot in heaven. But it is a somber time of dedication for the parents and family to commit to and renew their commitment to raising Josiah with a godly influence. It’s great to have family It was fun here with us today, not only from parts of Auckland, but around New Zealand and even Australia and California. Thank you so much for coming and helping to make this a very special day.

The Scripture teaches that children are a blessing from the Lord. Psalm 127:3-5 says:

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

The Bible also teaches that parenting is a spiritual act that requires absolute dependence upon God. Two verses before the last one, it says:

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1

Before we ask to hear your parental vows – and some of the vows are for the whole family - it’s only fitting that I read to you the following parental job description (adapted from another pastor).

Position: Mom & Dad Job Description

Description: Long-term team players needed for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work long, variable hours (I mean loooong hours!), which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24-hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel is also required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in distant cities. By the way, travel expenses are not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties are also required.

Responsibilities: For the rest of your life you must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $10 to go skating, or $15 to go to the movies, or $100 for who knows what! Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to a 100 k’s an hour in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.

Must be willing to deal with stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysterious sluggish toilets, and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls and internet web sites, maintain detailed calendars, and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have the ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.

Must be willing to be indispensable one minute and an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys and battery operated devices. Must assume final, complete, accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

Possibility for Advancement and Promotion: Virtually none. Your job is to remain on duty, in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

Previous Experience: None required, unfortunately. Though on-the-job training is offered on a continually exhausting basis.

Wages and Compensation: (Finally we get to the good part! Are you ready? Here it is.) You pay them, offering frequent raises and bonuses. And, a balloon payment is expected when they turn 18 - because of the assumption – true or not - that university will actually help them to become financially independent. And when you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could do a whole lot more.

Benefits: While no health or dental insurance is provided, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays, and no stock options are offered, the job does supply limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life – if you play your cards right.

so I got to go too
OK, now that you have heard the job description – which unfortunately your parents never got – we can ask for your vow. Please affirm your willingness to be the kind of parents that depends upon God to raise Josiah the way God wants.

(Please listen carefully because this commitment is not just for the parents, but for all of us who have the privilege of influencing this precious life.)

Will you, Jonathan and Sapphire, raise Josiah in an atmosphere of love and discipline, knowing that the best hope for a healthy childhood is one of unconditional love and clear Biblical standards? If so, please respond with “I will.”

Will you, Jonathan & Sapphire, communicate to Josiah the necessity of placing his faith in Jesus Christ at an age when he can understand the need of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross? If so, please respond with “I will.”

Finally, for not only Jonathan & Sapphire, but also the rest of the family, will you regularly pray for Josiah? Will you pray that God would use Josiah for His purposes and His glory? And will you pray that God will also use you to help develop Josiah’s talents, gifts and passions to be used by God for His purposes? Will you commit yourself to be as good an example to Josiah as you possibly can? If so, please respond by saying “I will.”

As a further expression of your commitment to Josiah and the commitment you just made to pray for him and be a good example to him, will you stand with Jonathan & Sapphire as we pray and dedicate ourselves to the Lord and Josiah for this awesome task.