Dedicating

This past Sunday we had the priviledge of dedicating Ayla at church. It really is a dedication of her and a committment to help her develop as a woman of faith. Below is the text we read on Sunday morning.

As we dedicate Ayla today there are many characteristics we hope she will possess in increasing measure as she grows through childhood and becomes an adult. There will be many people she will look to as models for this process—her mom, grandmothers, friends, and others who we don’t know yet. But there are three biblical mentors we would like to give Ayla today. We hope she looks to these women as well as she becomes a woman. One of the beautiful things about them is that none of them were perfect, but God used them all in profound ways.

First is Esther. Though I doubt Esther knew the perilous task she would be given when she became a part of the king’s court, and we aren’t even explicitly told her motives for doing what she could to save her people, she acted courageously. Her boldness in going before the king could have ended in her death, but she believed strongly enough in what she needed to do that nothing could stop her. We pray that when Ayla is faced with the choice between what is right and what is easy she will be courageous like Esther and choose what is right.

Next is Deborah. This is the only female judge the Bible records. She was a leader of her people. She exuded one of the primary characteristics of good judges—wisdom. Scriptures tell us that true wisdom comes from God, and we pray that Ayla will seek this wisdom as she grows. The kind of wisdom James describes when he says “the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

The third woman we give Ayla as a mentor is Mary Magdalene. This was a woman of great and passionate faith in Jesus. She was the one who sat quietly with an open mind and heart at the feet of Jesus. She questioned Jesus when she didn’t understand why he had allowed her brother to die. She rejoiced well when she found out that her friend and Lord had risen from the dead. Whether faith was joyful or painful, easy or difficult, mundane or extraordinary, she was always “all in.” Her devotion to Christ was never in question, even when things didn’t quite make sense. She learned to love Jesus with a reckless abandon that can only be described as beautiful. It is our prayer that Ayla too will learn to follow Christ with a beautifully reckless abandon through her entire life.

So Ayla, our prayer for you is that you will grow into a woman who is courageous, wise, and wholeheartedly devoted to faith in Christ. We will do our best to help you become this woman.