House of Hope Online

September 29, 2024

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Today’s word is a baby dedication of my granddaughter, Madelyn Grace Balash, which took place on September 27, 2024.     The following shows the outline that was used as well as the scriptures supporting baby dedication.  The actual prayer of dedication was offered by Madelyn’s parents, Ralph and Laura Balash.

The dedication service included worship music by Jasmine Brady. The songs “Lover of My Soul” and “Nothing’s Too Hard” ministered to Laura during Madelyn’s birth. Listen to the songs at these links:

Lover of My Soul (youtube.com)

Nothing’s Too Hard (youtube.com)

I pray the following, and the associated podcast, is a blessing to you.

1. Opening Prayer

1. Worship Music

1. The Name of Madelyn Grace

1. Scripture Reading

• Baby Dedication:  Ralph and Laura Balash

• Open Prayer: All who feel led to offer a prayer for Madelyn Grace and her parents

• Closing Prayer

The Name of Madelyn Grace

Madelyn:  High Tower

Psalms 18:

2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliver; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (KJV)

The Hebrew word for “high tower” means a refuge, a defense, and a high fort.  King David considered the Lord to be his high tower, his strength, his defense, his refuge.  So, Madelyn’s first name honors the Lord and is a tribute to the protection of our Lord, and the salvation that He provides us all.

Grace:  God’s Favor

Proverbs 3:

 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.

 4 So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. (NASB)

May Madelyn bind kindness and truth around her neck, that she would find favor with God!

Baby Dedication Scriptures

Luke 2:

 21 ¶ And when eight days were completed before His circumcision, His name was [then] called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

 22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

Psalms 78:

 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should teach them to their children,

 6 That the generation to come might know, [even] the children [yet] to be born, [That] they may arise and tell [them] to their children,

 7 That they should put their confidence in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments,

1^st Samuel 1:20 And it came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, [saying,] “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”

1^st Samuel 1:

 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD.

 27 “For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him.

 28 “So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.

Proverbs 22:6 ¶ Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Mark 10:

 13 ¶ And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.

 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

 15 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it [at all.]”

 16 And He took them in His arms and [began] blessing them, laying His hands upon them.

Prayer of Dedication

Ralph and Laura:  Father God, in Jesus’s name, we thank you so very much for this sweet baby, Madelyn Grace Balash.  She is surely an answer to our prayers, and so today we dedicate her to you, Father God, and we pray for her relationship with your Son, Jesus, and we pray that she would be led always by the wisdom and guidance of your Holy Spirit.  As long as she lives, she shall be dedicated to you through Jesus Christ.  Help us, Lord, to train her up in the way she should go, so that when she grows old, she will not depart from it.  We promise not to hinder her relationship with Jesus.  Help us to encourage her to know you and to fall in love with you, as we did.  We pray for your hand of protection over her as she grows, and we pray that she would seek your will in all areas of her life, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Closing Prayers