I pray for my grandchildren's day if I awake during the night and first thing in the morning. I pray for their safety and the day ahead. That way I know they are covered in prayers. If I forgot [which is seldom] I pray when they are brought to my mind. It is a comfort to know I can leave them in the hands of God.
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From Pastor Greg Asimakoupoulos
“Jesus give you happy dreams!”
That’s what I used to say to our girls after praying with them at bedtime. My son-in-law Tim J Anderson says the same thing to our granddaughter Imogen as she heads off to bed.
One of my favorite Norman Rockwell paintings is this one from 1943. “Freedom from Fear” pictures parents praying over their sleeping children during wartime.
I wonder if my friend Ron DiCianni was inspired by this painting when he created his two bestselling scenes. (Notice how old the parents seem in Rockwell’s painting compared to DiCianni’s).
Praying for our children (and grandchildren) has never been more important than it is today. May Jesus give them happy dreams and fruitful lives free from fear.
An Updated Challenge: Loving Your Children and Grandchildren throug...
By Chuck Lawless on Feb 15, 2019 01:00 am
Note: This week, a parent of young children asked me about how to pray for his children. His question reminded me of this challenge I wrote about three years ago. Because I still believe in its significance, I am updating it and posting it again. I encourage you to send it to parents and grandparents you know.
No lists today on this blog post – just a challenge. A challenge a friend unknowingly gave to me a few years ago, and a challenge that pushes me every week.
His story was not unlike the story of so many other parents. One of his children had wandered spiritually, and he and his wife committed themselves to fast and pray every Friday on his behalf. That exercise not only led to his son’s return to the Lord, but it has also become these parents’ practice since then. For more than a decade, they’ve fasted and prayed one day a week for their children.
Pam and I don’t have children, but I happened to be traveling with one of my mentees when I heard this brother tell his story. That day, my devotional text in my reading plan just “happened” to be Moses’ interceding for God’s people in their sin, including his request to be blotted out of God’s book if God did not forgive His people (Exod 32:32). I had a strong sense then that I was to be a regular, sacrificial, fasting intercessor for some of the young men I mentor (see here for why I believe fasting in general matters).
These men may not be my biological offspring, but they are sons in the faith to me – and one of the most loving gifts I can give them is something they may never see. In God’s grace, I can wear out my knees on their behalf, thinking little about my own physical food while I long more for God to feed, lead, and protect them spiritually. I’m growing in the practice (and I’ll never do it perfectly), but I want to fight beside, and for, my brothers in the real battles of spiritual warfare.
Perhaps you, too, might prayerfully accept this challenge. Maybe you can fast and pray for one meal once a week, one meal each day, or one day a week on behalf of your children and grandchildren. If they’re just babies and preschoolers, let them hear you praying on their behalf each week; pray now that the enemy does not win in their lives. If they’re wrestling with God, agonize in faith on their behalf in prayer and fasting. If they’re walking with God now, pray and fast that they will never be drawn astray – regardless of how old they are.
Take the challenge my brother in Christ unknowingly gave to me. Make a commitment. Keep it regularly. Love your children, your grandchildren, and your mentees enough to push away from the table to focus on the Father – and trust your offspring into His care as you lie at His feet.
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Amen! Having children and grandchildren is probably one of the greatest catalysts for me in learning to pray without ceasing!!!
In Africa we sometimes we sleep in the same bed and cover ourselves with the same blanket. So my grandchild was interested when I told him that God visits me regularly and speaks to me and sometime I receive visions at nights. I told him many stories found in the Bible how God spoke to different people who were prophets. I showed him pictures in Bibles for children- He is almost 10 years old.
He was amazed and asked me to pray for him that God will do the same to him. We slept together and I prayed to God several nights for him and Jesus visited him clothed in white. Now the boy ( Herbert pray also him , he asks me to tell you, he is at my side)prays in spirit and receives answers in his lessons at school. He testifies that every thing is extraordinary. We should teach them to pray for themselves also.
Now I encourage the members of Fathers' Union in my church to pray for the grandchildren , They will soon start too do it.Glory to God!!!
In Central Africa- Amen
Berete,
Thank you for sharing with us about teaching your grandson to pray. What an experience for him.
May God bless you as you encourage members of your Father' Union in your church to pray for your grandchildren. I will be happy to send you helpful information to start a Grandparents @ Prayer group. Just reply to me and I will send it to you.
Blessings,
Lillian Penner
Christian Grandparenting Network
Marcella, you are investing in the lives of your grandchildren with prayer. It makes me feel better when I know my grandchildren are covered wiwth prayer when they go out into the world. May God bless you grandparenting.
The angel said to Mary in Luke, Chapter 1, "You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said." v45. I belive this applies to us today. Prayer does make a difference when you pray believing. Thanks for resonding to my coments.