What do you want for your kids? What does God want for your kids?
What do you want for your kids? No doubt, you want your kids to be healthy, happy, well-adjusted, nice, and fun to be around. But what does God want? Can you imagine God wanting something that is better than that? Something greater and even more joyful? And if so, what could it possibly be? And how do we get it?
I’ve talked to many parents who have grown children. You should do this too. When they are asked, “What do you wish your kids had more of?” they will almost never say more money, or a better house, a better job or better social skills. Sometimes they say, “A better marriage,” or “I wished they lived closer.” But inevitably what they ultimately crave comes out as “I wish they had more faith,” or “I wish they were strong Christians.”
I often counsel these older parents to keep praying for their adult children, keep loving them, and keep speaking with grace (Colossians 4:4). God is not done you’re your kids (Luke 15:4). However, if you’re a young parent, there’s something else that you have that the older parents don’t: a captive audience! Your infants, toddlers, or young children are your sidekicks. Your middle schoolers and high schoolers are with you, and will follow your lead. You have incredible power to provide them with the things that will give them faith.
Of course, you can’t just force and manufacture faith for your kids. If you don’t have faith, or if you are just faking it, chances are your children will pick this up. But, if you want a fresh start and a good life for your kids, now is the time. Now is the time when you can bring them to the place where their faith will be created and where their faith will be strengthened. Even more important than trying to make them happy, good, or successful, you can bring them to church, to the Divine Service, where they will be baptized (Acts 2:38-39), hear God’s Word (Romans 10:17), learn that they are forgiven (Luke 4:18-19), belong to God (Mark 10:13-16), learn to practically acknowledge God in all their ways (Proverbs 3:1-12), and have hope through the Scriptures (Romans 15:4). Ten bucks says if they have those rocks in the jar, they will also be happy, good, and successful to boot.
Bringing your kids to church is hard. No one is saying it isn’t really hard. It might mean being late to church every single week because there is inevitable clothing or diaper emergencies. Sunday is the hardest day to wake up. The evil one makes Bedside Baptist the bomb. When new people come to church, they always have a flat tire first. An argument. Squeaky brakes. A birthday party. A baby shower. A Saturday concert. There is always something that could keep you from coming.
But come anyway. Come next time. Keep coming. It is worth it. There is no better place for your kids on Sunday morning – the Lord’s Day – than in the Lord’s house. There is nothing better than for them to see you speaking God’s Word in the liturgy, seeing you recognize yourself as one whom the Holy Cross of Jesus rests (in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), hearing you confess your sins (“Dad thinks he is a sinner?”) and receiving the renewed gift of forgiveness, paying attention to God’s Word, singing songs that strengthen faith, kneeling or bowing during prayer, sharing Christ’s peace with a real church family, communing as one at the altar, and sharing life together around the lime-Jello-marshmallow-cottage-cheese surprise pot luck fare.
Your kids will be loud, tired, cranky, wet, hungry, and jumpy. But they will be formed and transformed by God. (Advice for the bravest among us: pick a front-section-of-the-church pew. Your kids will be more calm. They will be very interested.) If they cry a little, everyone will have compassion and remember the days. If they cry and cry, they can head to the toy room with a window and audio. But come anyway.
Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30).
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1-2)
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price (Revelation 22:17).
Come to Saint Paul’s, and we promise we will help you raise your children in the faith. We will walk beside you as you walk with your children day by day (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). Come for the joy of the resurrection among us!
Pastor Zech
