The Ripple Effect of Praying Grandparents
During the summer, many grandparents will vacation with their grandchildren. Some will go camping. It is a great opportunity to spend extra time with the possibility of quality interaction. Now imagine you are camping with your grandchildren in the mountains. You have cooked your campfire stew for dinner and you are relaxing around the campfire beside a big lake. It is perfectly still; there is no wind. The lake is a mirror reflecting a beautiful sunset. Sticky-fingered grandchildren delight in s’mores while skipping stones across the lake’s glassy surface. They are enthralled with the traveling waves seeing who can make the biggest ripples.
Grandpa tells Grandma, “Just as the kids are making ripples in the water with the rocks, we can make ripples in the lives of our grandchildren with our prayers.” Our prayers for our grandchildren to invite Jesus Christ into other lives and to walk with Him throughout their lives will have a ripple effect on their families, friends, their world, and their future.
Another way we as grandparents can have a ripple effect on the lives of our grandchildren is by the way we live our lives. As we seek the Lord ourselves, investing time, energy, and effort in our own spiritual walk with the Him, our example will have a ripple effect on our children, grandchildren, and future generations.
My Great-grandfather’s Prayer
I found a letter in my family archives written by my great-grandfather in Poland, addressed to my grandfather who had immigrated to America. In the letter, he wrote that he was praying for my grandfather and his future generations. It was a special blessing for me to see in writing that my great-grandfather prayed for me before I was born. His prayers had a ripple effect on my grandparents, my parents, my life, my children and my grandchildren.
You will have the privilege to start the ripples in your family if you did not have a Christian heritage. Prayer is the greatest gift we can give our family. Material things are needed but they are temporary. Our prayers will affect them for a lifetime.
My friend’s story
I would like to share the story my friend shared with me how her grandparents influenced her life, even though her parents did not influence her spiritually. She said,
“I grew up in a non-Christian home. My father’s father was a minister and his mother was a devoted Christian. My mother’s parents were also church-going people. However, my parents rebelled against God and the church, even though they both grew up in Christian homes.
“However, my grandparents took their responsibility very seriously, and my spiritual influence was a high priority for them. I remember hearing my father’s father pray for me when I was a young child visiting in their home. Although my father’s parents died while I was a child, I respected them very much.
“My mother’s parents often told me, ‘We are praying for you.’ As a young child, my neighbors invited me to go to church with them and as a result, I did ask Jesus into my heart. My grandparents were thankful to know their prayers were answered before they passed away, even though my parents did not teach me about Jesus or take me to church. It means so much to me that both sets of my grandparents let me know they prayed for me. I strongly believe the prayers of my grandparents led me to invite Jesus Christ into my life, marry a Christian young man, and be actively involved in my church. I only remember my parents attending church with me one time and that was many years after I was married. However, as a result of my praying grandparents, my children and my grandchildren have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and carry on the faith.”
Even though my friend’s spiritually rebellious parents interrupted the ripple effect, the intentional prayers of her grandparents passed their heritage of faith to the future generations, and the ripples continued.
Be a Prayer Warrior
God has placed our grandchildren in to our families so we can be their prayer warriors. He has given us the awesome opportunity to partner with Him on behalf of these dear ones. He has given me nine grandchildren to pray for and He has given you your grandchildren.
It is not about the expensive gifts we give our grandchildren or the vacations we take them on, they are not lasting, however, our prayers are the most important gift we can give them.
Sometimes, as we get older and limited physically, we might feel useless. However, if we have grandchildren, God has a purpose for keeping us on this earth, to be a Prayer Warrior for your grandchildren living in this spiritually deprived world.
As grandparents, let us pray deliberately and pass on our love for God to our children, grandchildren and future generations. This ripple effect of specific prayer communicates our love and acceptance, as well as giving them an example of living a God centered life.
“Your faithfulness continues through all generations;”
(Psalm 119:90a)
Taken from Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren
by Lillian Penner. www.grandparentingwithapurpose.com
Comments
Excellent! I have been a full time stay at home grammy for the past 18 months-first grandchild but with my daughters marriage I also became grammy to her step daughter who is 11 and I drive to school every day. So just as I prayed off my own children to school I am now praying off my grandaughter. When my 18 month old watches her Praise Baby DVD's and we both are singing the little praise songs together I pray the songs into her life and I put her name in the songs like this; Oh God, You are Nayibe's God, and she will ever praise you.. . she will praise you in the morning and learn to walk in Your ways. . .Oh God, you are Nayibe's God and she will ever praise you!' Another thing is that we as grandparents have the spiritual authority to do this. Petitions, praises and declarations. You are right on sister with these thoughts!
Being a grandparent has enhanced my life and ministry. It is awesome how God mulitplys your time to do all and do it well!
I enjoyed reading this article on grandparenting. I particularly liked the insight on God answering a grandparent's prayer despite the "interrupted ripple effect". This has been an encouragement to me.
Marsha,
Thanks for your comment. How many grandchildren do you have?