Young Families in Church

Dear Young Familes,

I know your tiny baby didn't sleep last night or even last week. I might no longer have a tiny one in the pew, but I remember all too well the first 10 months of my oldest child's life. I was clueless and did not know how to get my sweet girl to sleep. If Grandma Vandercook hadn't put you down for your first nap at 10 months and told me her trick, it might never have happened. Even after that my baby girl was a terrible sleeper until she was about 3 and a half, and by then, I had another baby who was already 1 and a half. That means that for the first 3 and a half years of motherhood, I got no sleep. Baby 3 was welcomed into the world not long after that. To say that I know what it is like to be tired is the understatement of the year.

When you are that tired, any chance you get to sleep is precious, oh so precious. You do not want to disturb those precious moments when you do get to sleep. What I am going to tell you is not going to be easy.

You need to be in church. Every week.

Why?

Because you are a sinner. You sinned against God, your husband or wife, and your baby this week (and probably more than that). You probably believe me that you sinned against God and maybe even your husband or wife. Your baby though? Yeah, your cute little baby, too.

Sinners need forgiveness. Go to church. Confess your sins of thought, word, and deed. The sins you are aware of and the sins you are not aware of. Then hear the words of your pastor as from Christ Himself, "I forgive you all your sins."

Take and eat the Body and Blood of your Savior placed in your mouth and know that even if your sweet baby was crying during the entire service, you had forgiveness placed inside your mouth as Christ Himself pours His forgiveness into you.

Come to church to hear that you are the sinner that you know yourself to be, separated from God. And come to church to hear the forgiveness of Christ won for you on the cross and given to you in your baptism, no longer separated from God, but His child. This is the same baptism that your sweet baby has. Your baby can hear the Words of Christ spoken by the pastor and sung by you as you sing the liturgy. Come to church for your baby's forgiveness, too. Christ desires to give you all His gifts of forgiveness.

I know that you are tired. I know that the baby cried all night long. I know, Momma, that your clothes don't fit. I know that the baby is just going to spit up on them. I know that the baby is going to cry through the whole service. I know it is not easy.

Come anyway. Receive Christ's gifts of forgiveness and salvation.