Dedicating the Home - a Refuge from the Storm

Consider the correlation between the story of the Children of Israel and the Passover in Exodus 12 with the dedication of your home. Through the Prophet Moses, God told them to take the blood of a firstborn lamb or goat and put it on the top and sides of the entrance door frame of their homes. As they exercised faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and followed the specific instructions as detailed by Moses, the destroying angel would ‘pass over’ them and spare the lives of their firstborn sons. And as prophesied, the destroying angel did pass over Egypt near midnight leaving behind death and destruction for all who weren’t in compliance of having the saving blood on their doors. On the other hand, protection and safety resulted for all those that followed the prophet’s instructions.

Likewise, our faith when exercising Melchizedek Priesthood authority and dedicating our homes holds great protective powers for our families. This unique protection is sorely needed in our day – maybe more than ever before. Our homes and families need spiritual protection from the wickedness of the world. There are a variety of destroying angels directed by Lucifer, the father of all lies and evil and chaos, trying to accomplish his evil designs. He is desperately wreaking all manner of havoc in a full-fledged attack on the family. The blessing of dedicating our homes as a refuge from evil storms and destroying angels can help us find and establish peace and sanctuary. The kind of peace as promised by the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Some thoughts and suggestions about the dedication of homes:
• OK to dedicate home by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, but not mandatory
• OK to write down the dedicatory prayer prior to offering it to better ponder and prepare, and OK to read it as home dedication – perhaps keep the written record in a personal journal or your scriptures
• OK to get input from other family members about thoughts they may have regarding the home dedication prayer, perhaps have a Family Home Evening in preparation
• Good idea to read other dedicatory prayers of temples to get some ideas of things you would like to say in your home dedication
• Consider fasting as a family the day of the home dedication and concluding the fast after the home dedication
• Consider inviting some extended family to participate, possible home teachers
• OK to rededicate the home if it has been many years and it would be a blessing to the family
• If possible, kneel as a family for the home dedication
• Homes do not need to be paid-off to be dedicated
• A home can be a single-family dwelling, a condo, an apartment, or even a room – any location individuals or families reside

Possible things that might be included in a home dedication prayer:

By the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood (if applicable)

Dedicate the home as:

• A place of peace
• Where the Spirit of the Lord can reside
• A place void of contention and evil
• Where visitors will be welcome and feel the Lord’s Spirit and peace and warmth and be lifted
• Where we can teach and learn gospel principles and more about its Author
• Where love will abound, where charity and understanding and forgiveness are priorities
• Where testimonies will grow and be strengthened
• To be a refuge from the world, from the Adversary and his evil designs
• Where gospel hymns of praise to our God are heard and sung frequently
• A place where spirituality is a priority, where scriptures are studied, where prayers are offered continually
• A place of faith
• A place for family, where we can laugh and enjoy each other
• Where we are unified and dedicated to the Lord
• A place of service, to each other and to those around us – friends, neighbors, and extended family
• A place where we learn to understand our true potential
• Where we will remember our God and praise Him and His goodness
• Where we will never lose sight of our primary goal to be together as an eternal family forever
• Where we can prepare for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

Other thoughts and words as directed by the Spirit and close in the name of Jesus Christ, amen

We are asking that the the Priesthood Quorums work together to see that every home in the Ward is dedicated.

Bishop Wm. Calvin Hughes