Before we joined our current church, which practices Family Integrated Worship, I had many fears. Chief among them was the thought that I would never again be able to enjoy a worship service, because my children would be too much of a distraction.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
It was such a blessing to worship with Little Cal this morning. Here are a few vignettes:
Our pastor was praying, “Lord, please cause us all to die to sin…”
Cal whispered to me, “Mommy, are we all going to die now?”
Me: “No, honey, we’re not all going to die now. That is an expression.”
Cal: “Oh, good, because then our house and toys would be the only things left, and we’d all be gone.”
A few minutes later, the pastor prayed, “Lord, we pray for the dead churches in [our town].”
Cal whispered again, “Mommy, are we in one of the dead churches in [our town]?”
“No, Cal, the dead churches are the ones that don’t love Jesus.”
Cal: “Oh, good, because we love Jesus, so we aren’t dead.”
Me: “Yes, honey.”
I didn’t mind these interruptions. I was glad that he was listening! Cal spent the rest of the prayer time with folded hands and head earnestly bowed, taking several breaks to kiss me and whisper “I love you, mommy” in my ear.
Soon it was time to sing “Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners”. Cal has that one memorized, so he belted it out in full voice. As I heard him singing, “Hallelujah, what a Savior, hallelujah, what a friend!”, the Lord ministered the truth of the song to my heart, and I was very encouraged.
Next, it was time to recite the Apostle’s Creed. Our pastor reminded us that anything that is not done by faith is not pleasing to God, and that even as we recite what we believe, we must do so by faith. Cal has been working on the Apostle’s Creed at home, and he has also learned that he can copy what we are saying if he repeats our words just a few moments after we say them.
His voice could be clearly heard in all the pauses…”Father Almighty…heaven and earth…only Son our Lord…Holy Spirit…virgin Mary…Pontius Pilate…”
Yes, we do love Jesus. No, we are not dead. Jesus is our friend and Savior. By faith, even the youngest among us can proclaim belief in Him.
Worshiping with a little boy this morning was not a distraction. His zeal for worship encouraged my heart to stay focused on the Lord.
“But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
” ‘From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise’?” Matthew 21:16-17
That has to be the biggest reason I want to find a new church. I hate that my 8yo refer to “my church” and “your church.” We worship all week as a family–at our kitchen table, on their bedroom floor, in our car–but on the Sabbath, we drop them off to worship with others. How sad.