Just As They Are

I’ve heard rumors of families with small children enjoying meaningful worship together at home. But I have yet to participate in such an event.

This is not to say that my husband and I have not tried.

The first time we attempted to organize something that resembled worship, we were on vacation at the beach. We thought it would be special for our family of five to read Scripture, pray and sing together. Our oldest son, who was 5, protested the spontaneous service by curling up in a ball facedown on the carpet.

I tried to make the best of the situation. “See kids? Your brother has already assumed a penitential posture for prayer. Good job, buddy.”

My husband and I thought Psalm 23 might inspire a worshipful attitude toward our Good Shepherd. When the reading failed to captivate our young congregation, we opted for a re-enactment of the parable of the lost sheep.

“I love the way you’ve wedged yourself between the couch and the footrest! That’s the valley where the sheep has wandered off to,” my husband cued our defiant son, still tightly curled in fetal position.

With that, the hulking shepherd to whom I am married walked around the room scouting for lost sheep. He searched next to chairs, under tables and behind plants, feigning shock and delight when he found a little lamb between the couch and the footrest. He scooped the lamb into his arms and did what any good shepherd would do — he tickled him into a more reverent mood.

Any song will do

“OK, kids, let’s think. What do we do at church?” I coached.

“Play!” my youngest volunteered.

“I was thinking about what we do when we get together to talk and listen to God.”

“Worship?” asked the sheep who once was lost but now was found. Clearly, the Holy Spirit had been at work in the valley of death.

“Yes! So let’s think of some songs and Scriptures you like, and we’ll read and sing and pray. Who has a song?”

“‘Jingle Bells!’” my youngest chirped.

I tried to sound encouraging. “Yup, that sure is a song! Can we think of one that would be like talking to God?” I threw out a few songs with the word Jesus in them. Thankfully, we were able to agree on “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” After singing, we got down on our knees for a prayer of confession.

I explained, “This is a chance to tell God the things that we have done wrong, the ways we’ve sinned, so He can forgive us. I’m going to start, then we’ll go oldest to youngest.”

I poured my heart out to God about an unfortunate yelling incident with the kids, then I waited to hear their precious little prayers.

There was complete silence.

No one could come up with even one little transgression.

A little repentance, please

I tried to coax a confession out of them. But it was as if they’d plotted ahead of time to stick to their stories of innocence. I couldn’t get one of them to crack.

During the agonizing wait, one of the boys walloped his brother on the back. Dutifully, my daughter reported, “Now Rollie has something to confess.”

It seemed to be divine providence — like the sacrificial lamb provided for Abraham at just the right moment. When I finally coerced the perpetrator to confess, he simply blurted, “I forgive you” to the sibling he had just assaulted. I was prepared to launch into a lecture on forgiveness, but since everyone else seemed satisfied with his effort, we moved on.

“How about a Scripture?” My request was met with blank stares. “Um, does anyone have a favorite verse from the Bible you’d like us to read?”

“Josh and the big wall!” one of the boys said.

“Well, that’s actually a Veggie Tales video,” I explained. “But it’s a story from the Bible, too, isn’t it?”

Ignoring our discussion, my daughter started shouting a verse she’d learned at vacation Bible school. In what can only be described as Holy Spirit inspiration, the loud rapid-fire passage was from the book of Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

I’m pretty sure that verse was meant for me.