The Call of Churchgoing Parents

Sunday mornings were my favorite growing up.

I knew, when my alarm went off on those early mornings, that it was going to be a sweet day chatting, serving, and worshipping with some dear friends.

But alas, high school days are gone, and just like many young moms today, my Sunday mornings look quite different from those of my childhood. Instead of getting all dolled up and ready to visit friends, my role as wife and mother is pushed to the center stage. Sunday mornings are now filled with hustle, bustle, and a few extra tears (not telling from whom).

Our Sunday morning routine is rushed to get everyone where they need to go. Shoes have to be found, clothes ironed and matched, hair fixed – all in a timely manner.

This past Sunday was different.

As we woke up, my 14-month-old was ready to go. He greeted my husband and me with a smile and a few giggles. We went through the early part of our morning routine without a hitch before our baby realized he was getting tired. Lately, he has been waiting until after church for his nap, and I thought he would be fine on this particular Sunday.

I thought wrong.

As soon as the song service was completed, he started chit-chatting, so my sister, surely seeing the exhaustion on my face, offered to take him to the nursery, and I let her.

I sat with my sermon notebook ready to jot down wisdom. Our pastor is currently preaching through Jonah, a book and character that the Lord has used to teach me many times, and I had spent the week looking forward to learning more.

His sermon title was “A Dive into Disobedience.”

Just as I finished writing down the scripture references and title mentioned above, I heard a familiar squeal come from the downstairs nursery that I knew all too well – my child. The screaming continued, and I hurried down the steps to see what the matter was.

There he was, completely exhausted.

My poor baby had nothing left to give.

I tried consoling him, but the screams only grew louder. He needed sleep.

My sweet friend and pastor’s wife offered the parsonage across the street to help calm my baby. Thankfully, the glider in her young ones’ nursery did the trick almost instantly.

But as I sat there and rocked, I couldn’t help but feel the weight that anyone who has attended church with a toddler or an infant has felt at least once or twice.

There, the enemy whispered this famous question in my ear: What’s the point?

What’s the point of going through all the trouble of getting us to church if I’m going to end up not listening to the service?

What’s the point if the baby is too young to know what is going on?

What’s the point of showing up if we can’t always participate in fellowship?

Then I remembered the story of that passionless prophet.

When many of us think about Jonah, we think about the fish. And while living in the belly of a large aquatic animal for three days and nights is impressive, it's even more impressive that Jonah was a prophet of the Lord who didn’t want to do his job or follow His call. He disobeyed the Lord, and throughout Christian history, that is exactly how he is remembered.

Yet, when it comes to parenting, we are asked a question similar to Jonah's: Will we obey?

In Scripture, we are told how precious our children are. Psalm 127:3-4 describes them as “gifts of the Lord” and “arrows in the hands of a warrior.” However, these gifts also come with great responsibility. We are called to raise and train them in the way of righteousness.

Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

Meanwhile, a big part of that training is being obedient and saying “yes” to what He asks us to do – even if the situation isn’t ideal.

Sometimes the call to obedience may look like going to preach to our archenemy, but sometimes it may just look like showing up at church and letting our little ones meet the one who made the universe and everything in it – even if that means losing a fight here or there over their outfit choice or letting the sleepy baby nap during the sermon.

So, for every mom or dad who has also wondered what the point is of making it to Sunday morning service with young children, I hope you know that it matters. Showing up, letting that little one listen to the sweet words of hymns or worship songs, being surrounded by like-minded friends and family, and bringing your baby to the throne room matter.

He sees your obedience.

And I promise, you will never regret making the choice to bring them to Him.

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