Sienna's Dedication

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

--Philippians 1.6

Today was Sienna's dedication. Many people have asked me this week about what a dedication is. The dedicating of a child, like we did today, is a public declaration that we are committing to raising our child up in the ways of the Lord. It is also a declaration of the covenant community that we exist within; to dedicate themselves to the raising up of Sienna in the ways of Christ. It does not mean that Sienna is a Christ-follower (that takes deliberate faith). It expresses, in one way, what Paul meant envisioned when he spoke of the people of God as a body, a temple, a family--all communal images; it is a dedication of both parents and congregation to the raising up of this child.

Which leads me to something I have been reflecting on this past week.

Sometimes in the church a youth, or young adult will go off the rails; start hanging out with the wrong crowd, and all the things that come with that,and people often blame the parents, or say "Where was the youth pastor?" but this, it seems to me, is the wrong direction. We are all accountable for what happens to those in a family. If a kid goes off the rails, yes the parents are asked to do their part, but the cousins, grandparents, siblings--they all do what they can. And so it is in covenant communities, such as churches, synagogues or mosques--we all partake in the lives of those around us. We do whatever we can to help, support, encourage, guide one another--there is not one person in the congregation that I should not feel utterly responsible for, and vice versa.

This is especially important when you live, like Erin and I do, away from blood relatives. We live on the other side of Canada from our family, and Sienna does not get to spend time with her Nanny, Poppa (my parents), Nana and Poppa (Erin's parents), or uncles, aunts or cousins, very often so having a community of people of all ages to be involved in and who we have committed ourselves to is part of how God takes care of us. (And it is a universal picture--if we moved from BC to Australia we would have a family there as well: China, the Sudan, it wouldn't matter--God's family permeates every culture, even when a culture believes it hs irradicated it--you can be sure there is a community of people meeting in a basement somewhere, praying, reading Scripture and sharing in a common meal. Worshiping God through Christ. )

It is much the same with weddings. "We are gathered here today"--why? to get free food? No. To dress up? Party? No (though those things are nice)--it is a symbolic expression of support and community. It says "We are here for you--to see you succeed; to make sure you do not go off the rails as a couple. We are gathered here today not only to see you committ yourselves to eachother; but, and maybe just as importantly; to committ ourselves to you. To guide, instruct, encourage you, along this difficult thing called life, and even more difficult (and splendid) this thing called life together.

Sienna and Erin were beautiful today, and people said I looked alright as well. But it was something else about today that struck me. I remember a moment when we were at the front, Sienna looked around at the audience and she started to panic a little; and then she looked straight up at me (as I held her) and she just got this look on her face: ok, everything is alright. I thought I was the only one who saw that and summed it up as over-thinking fatherhood. But afterward this woman came up to me and said "Did you see the way she looked up at you that time in the service and calmed down...that was a precious moment." Weird that she saw that too. But I guess that is what community is there for, right? To observe those moments, and recognize them for what they are: precious indeed.

Sienna, may the verse given to you today reflect the reality as you grow into a woman of God: "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1.6). I know that God has begun a good work in you; and trust that He will indeed carry it through not only to initial faith but that that faith might blossom into a life of holiness, set-apart for the loving of God and neighbour.

Bless you.