Unreservedly.
This Sunday was a baptism Sunday for the baby of some dear friends of mine and a part of one of the vows caught my attention.
Do you now unreservedly dedicate your children to God?
Those words seem too hard to hear, the promise heavy to bear, when I look at the baby in front of us and think of how much we all love him. How we love all the children of this congregation and...
Unreservedly?
In this world that's full of bullies and ISIS, where 9-11 is a chapter in the history books and kids don't even blink at the mention of terrorism? (They know what it is; they've grown up in a world full of it, I realized the other day when the boys I was babysitting were totally unfazed by the short documentary they watched about 9-11. )
Unreservedly?
Now, when millions of refugees wait and die without homes? When abuse and corruption and disasters abound? When all of us in this sanctuary know that the children's hearts will be broken and their bodies will wear out and there is so, so much evil?
Yes. It must be unreservedly.
Because in this world --
all its shattered brokenness --
the edges that cut and ravage, the things that wreck and ruin --
You are our only hope for safety, security, shalom.
It is not too hard for us, what You command for us, to dedicate these children to you. Because You are not far off, but very near.
We can find rest in You, the One who conquered death. And so -- we trust You.
Unreservedly.
Do you now unreservedly dedicate your children to God?
Those words seem too hard to hear, the promise heavy to bear, when I look at the baby in front of us and think of how much we all love him. How we love all the children of this congregation and...
Unreservedly?
In this world that's full of bullies and ISIS, where 9-11 is a chapter in the history books and kids don't even blink at the mention of terrorism? (They know what it is; they've grown up in a world full of it, I realized the other day when the boys I was babysitting were totally unfazed by the short documentary they watched about 9-11. )
Unreservedly?
Now, when millions of refugees wait and die without homes? When abuse and corruption and disasters abound? When all of us in this sanctuary know that the children's hearts will be broken and their bodies will wear out and there is so, so much evil?
Yes. It must be unreservedly.
Because in this world --
all its shattered brokenness --
the edges that cut and ravage, the things that wreck and ruin --
You are our only hope for safety, security, shalom.
It is not too hard for us, what You command for us, to dedicate these children to you. Because You are not far off, but very near.
We can find rest in You, the One who conquered death. And so -- we trust You.
Unreservedly.
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