To Moms with Young Children: Thank you for Coming to Church

This past Sunday at church, I sat behind a young mother holding her baby.  The baby was a happy little guy and would often drool down his mom’s shoulder.  I’m sure it wasn’t comfortable for her, but it made me smile.  This momma had fought the “Sunday Morning Battle” and overcome.  She made it to church to worship with her family.

It is no easy task for a mom with young children to make it to church on a Sunday morning.  Let’s be honest, it is a real battle.  The list of good excuses is long and easy: I need sleep, I just want a break, we can read the Bible on our own, we will be a distraction, the kids will make a fuss and I’ll just end up sitting in the nursery.  Hey, and church is optional, right?  It isn’t work or a social event.  Most people don’t go.

Plus the orchestration it takes to get the family out the door is a grand production of its own.  You have to get everyone ready and looking decent, pack up what feels like half your household, and get yourself ready.  This often equates to a rushed shower (maybe) and cramming into 10 minutes what used to take an hour.  It is so much work.

I get the temptation to stay home on Sunday mornings, I really do.  I battled the same internal argument with myself not so many years ago.  There is a true, strong pull from the world to cave in and stay home.  But when we read Hebrews 10:24, 25 we don’t see any asterisks: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”  The habit of the world is to stay home and stay away, but there is no blessing in that!  That is not where this verse says the stirring and encouraging takes place.  It happens with others, when we meet together. 

In Acts 2:42 it says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”  True devotion is proven when tested with challenges and temptations.  What is your level of devotion in this challenging period of life? 

Am I leaving out the dads?  Yep.  This is a blog for women.  I would love to think the dads are leading and helping Sunday mornings so that the whole family gets to service.  Many do, but not all.  Moms, regardless of what he does, you still need to get up, get the kids and yourself ready (even if you don’t feel perfectly put together) and get to church.  No, it is not about legalism and church attendance, it is about obedience and doing what God calls you to.  The Church is the body of Christ (Col. 1:18) and his bride (Rev. 21:2).  If you are a Christian, it is where you will be – together.

I’m not talking out the side of my mouth here, I did this as a single mother for years with a baby who had terrible colic and then separation anxiety.  I spent many hours in the nursery with him wondering why I even bothered trying every week.  But God uses all things.  In the nursery I met wonderful, godly people with servant hearts and God used them to minister to me.  
​
So to all you moms out there coming to church with young children, thank you!  Thank you for your devotion and for overcoming all the easy excuses.  The whole church body benefits when you are there, we are not whole without you (see 1 Cor. 12).  You serve a vital role that you may not even realize.  Keep coming, keep bringing the kids.  Come with spit up down your shoulder and with your over-active toddler.  We want you there.   God commands fellowship and what he commands, he will enable you to do with his strength.  Obedience to God brings blessings.  Come and be blessed.