Good Friday

As a person who is usually distracted by kiddos during a service when there is no childcare, Jesus gave me a new perspective this year. I had Ethan of course, but he was good. He slept the entire Good Friday service and never made a sound. The children around me were not always as quiet. I saw a little girl run down the aisle in the middle of prayer time. Another boy had to be taken out for yelling, " I want Daddy!" repeatedly. And anytime there was a quiet moment- it was surely not quiet. It was filled with the sounds of children.

Jason and I went to a church in Texas where every Sunday morning a large freight train would pass right behind the building drowning everything out with its whistle for a few seconds. It was so distracting. One Sunday, our pastor stopped in the middle of the message when the train passed. I thought he was waiting so he would not be drowned out by it. Instead after it had passed, he said, "Did you hear that?". As if we could have missed it. He went on to explain that he was thankful for that train every Sunday. The train is barreling towards its destination- warning all who stand in the way of the danger coming. Letting everyone know to get out its way so they will not be hurt. He said the church is like the train. We are commissioned by God to be heralders of the gospel. We are all headed for sure death and an eternity away from God. The church's responsiblity is to loudly proclaim the gospel warning the world of the danger that is to come. Letting the world know that they can be saved from their sin and have new life in Christ and spend eternity with Him. After he said that, when the train would pass sometimes he would just stop and smile and point at the cross behind the pulpit. We all knew what he meant. We were all encouraged and not distracted.

So, on Friday I was thinking of how kids can be a distraction, but can also be an encouragement. We need young ones to be raised up to be a part of the church. To help build the church up. We need worship leaders and Sunday school teachers and Pastors. That little girl running down the aisle during prayer or the kid screaming for his daddy may surely be one of those one day. It is encouraging to me that Jesus cares so much for these little ones. He takes great joy in them being there even if they don't understand it. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news- even to the little ones. I hope that these kiddos will understand how deep and wide and tall God's love is for them. That they will understand what the Jesus dying on the Cross means. That it won't just be a tradition, but a time of rememberence. I hope that they will be drawn close to our God and that He will save them. I pray that for Ethan every day. I so want him to know his maker.

Good Friday was good- to remember what Jesus did and to see what He is still doing- even in my little family. :)