What's the Point?

I don’t know about most people, but when my kids were younger, every Sunday morning was like a bad episode of “Supernanny”. Kid wrangling became my sole morning activity. Fighting the teenager who didn’t want to get out of bed, the preteen who needed to find just the right outfit and the youngest two fighting over who got to take the last bag of goldfish for a church snack. I often found myself harried, cranky and worn-out instead of what I perceived to be a time of worship and reflection on God’s word. Too often did I sit in the car on the way to church wondering to myself, what is the point to this! What is the point of church if my kids don’t want to go and chose to misbehave the whole time. What is the point if I can’t pay attention to the teaching of the Word because I’m too busy giving the “mom look” to try to get my children to behave. I wondered to myself why it seems some parents have it all together while my husband & I are busy trying to retrieve my 4-year-old who has made it his mission to army crawl under the pews from one end of the church to the other. How can I possibly be teaching my children anything when honestly, my thoughts as well as those of my children are more focused on how many more minutes are left in the service.
The “point” came to me one Sunday morning after I had to retrieve my army crawling 4-year-old from children’s church because he had tried to crawl up the supply closet and instead brought the whole thing crashing down. As I sat there with a scared toddler in my lap who was quiet for change, I looked up and really noticed the stained glass window of our church at the time. This window showed Jesus holding a small lamb in his arms and I Peter 5:2-3 came to mind. These verses say “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” The picture of a shepherd came to mind. A shepherd whose sheep are busy scurrying around doing everything but obeying the shepherd. And then I thought of the window of Jesus holding onto that little lamb caring for it and loving it. Jesus the ultimate shepherd, being the ultimate example of Godly living and loving us even though we fail. We too are like shepherds to our children. We guide them in the way we want them to go by being an example to them. Showing them the importance of church & Christian fellowship by going to church. Making church a priority and doing the best we can is what I believe God calls us to do as Christian parents. It’s the example he wants of us. So come to church, if your kids army crawl up the aisle its okay. If they talk out or cry or ask to go to the bathroom for the 3rd time its okay. Fellow churchgoers have all been there and understand. Pastors have kids too and understand. And when you’re weary and wonder what’s the point, take refuge in knowing you’re teaching your children by example, of the importance of making time with Jesus a priority.