“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Jesus was, of course, referring the precious gift of children and them coming to know God’s love in Jesus for them.
You have been given the gift of your small wonders. You have been given to them as their parents. God also gave them all that energy, and we all wish we could have some of that at times. With all that energy, there is bound to be some wiggling and a little commotion from them at time. Don’t worry about that! Keep bringing them no matter what! They belong right here in God’s house with the rest of us!
Keep bringing them no matter what! Perseverance here is a definite good thing! Be their “colour commentator” and give them a “play by play” explanation of the parts of the worship service, what the Pastor is doing, look for the colours on the altar and the Pastor’s garments as they change during the seasons of the church year, etc. Sing the songs/hymns with them, and remember, they do listen to the sermon more than you think, so keep bringing them!
Both adults and children learn the language of faith in the same way we learned to speak our first language. That’s done of course, by watching and listening to you, and to what’s happening during the worship service. They will learn this language over time, the same way you learned to speak. Sing the hymns/songs, fold your hands and pray with them, and keep being a participant in worship! Patience—yes. Challenging—certainly. This is a 10 k race, not a 100 metre dash. But it will be worth it—for you, for them, for eternity.
If your child decides they need a break from the service, we even have a room located just inside the coat room at the back of the church where you and your child take some time to “recalibrate”, as it were. Just come back into the service when you and your child are able to do so.
Dearest Members and Friends of Faith:
We know how much you love having little ones with us in worship. You know they are a gift from God, and a wonderful reminder to our eyes that God is keeping his promise to bring His word to every Generation through you! In fact, we rejoice in the opportunity to “tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.” (Psalm 78:4b NIV).
Be sure to say hello and welcome these little ones with your wonderful smiles, and do the same for their parents in the love of Christ!
