Babies, Prayers, and Sunday Mornings

A couple weeks ago I looked at my daughter as we sat down for dinner and had an idea. She had been imitating a lot of things we did recently, intentionally trying to do what we were doing and be like Mommy and Daddy. So I looked at her and said, "Sweetie, can you fold your hands like this? Let's fold our hands and pray" and I folded my hands so she could see. Jonathan caught on right away and made a big exaggerated hand folding gesture too. We both sat there and watched her with our hands folded. She looked back and forth between the two of us for a few minutes and then she smiled really big and folded her hands too! We praised her, then bowed our heads and said the before-dinner prayer.

Now she has the routine down. She even bows her head, and when we say "amen" she applauds and smiles. It melts my heart! It makes me think she could have learned this even earlier. Several times she has even folded her hands and looked at me when I put her in her high chair, reminding me that it is time to pray. She is barely 1, and already, she can learn about Jesus!


In church last week Little Girl was being particularly squirmy during the prayers and closing blessing, but when the pastor said "Jesus" she folded her hands. She must associate Jesus' name with the prayers she has heard at home. And when we all said "amen" she stopped what she was doing and clapped, just like she always does when she hears that word at home. It makes me so proud to think of how clever she is, but it is also so comforting and wonderful to know that she really does hear what is going on in church, even at such a young age, and even when all signs point to her being completely distracted.

My daughter, who is barely one year old and who squirms, plays in the pew, tries to make her escape under the benches, and loves to distract everyone around her with her smiles and little games, she is still hearing what is going on in church and what is being said. She is hearing God's Word, both at church and at home.

My husband doesn't sit with us at church, because he is always assisting with the service. I sit by myself with my daughter, and some days it feels like I hardly hear any of the sermon because keeping my daughter occupied and happy takes up so much of my attention. Other days are better, because she is a fairly easy kid in church, and right now there's only one of her, but I know other parents have it much harder. It is such a comfort, such a blessing, to realize that even at this early age, being in church is sinking in and making an impression on my daughter, even if she isn't paying attention.

I know that she doesn't really understand what is happening when we pray or what is going on in church, but on some level, we don't really understand it either. We look at our children and think that they cannot possibly understand, but I'm sure that's how God sees us too, and yet he still speaks to us about himself!

From conversations I have had with other parents I know that it can be tempting to stay home on Sundays when you have little ones. You may feel that you don't get anything out of a worship service or that your kids aren't paying attention and they keep you from paying attention, so why bother? But that just isn't true. God's word is powerful and effective, and even if you don't have a wonderful, "worship experience" God is there to meet you in His Word and in His sacraments. What a wonderful gift!

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." ~ Matthew 19:14

My husband tells me that the Greek word in this passage for "children" would be better translated as "infant" or "baby." Infants and babies do not understand, but that doesn't matter to Jesus. We don't have to understand God perfectly to be in His kingdom, and that is a good thing, because we will never understand God perfectly!

It is never too early to bring your children to church. It is never too early to pray with your children or read the Bible to your children. Before you know it, they will surprise you with their understanding and what they have picked up! Even on a day when the squirming doesn't let up for a minute and your kid seems interested in everything but what is going on in church, even on that day something is getting through to them. The Holy Spirit promises to work through His Word, and he promises that "The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these."