For God did not give us a spirit of timidity [fear], but of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

These are uncertain times, about that you can be certain. Washington and the mainstream media seem determined to feed on all the uncertainty and fears surrounding our nation’s economic condition. Cowardly politicians in our nation’s capital, lacking the courage and fortitude to make right choices, have resorted instead to fear-mongering with the hopes they won’t have to do what is right. They understand that fear is a powerful tool that can be used to manipulate people into accepting bad choices.

Perhaps we need some caution signs, similar to the construction signs we see warning of roadwork ahead, posted on our TV’s and across the front pages of our newspapers warning us of fear-mongers ahead.

How would Christ want us to response to the fears of times like these? How ought we to model to our grandchildren an appropriate response to fear? How do we control fear rather than let fear control us?

A good friend recently wrote a blog entitled “Turning Fear Into Prayer”*, calling Christians to think differently by praying in specific ways in times of fear. For example, if someone who has lost a job, he suggests that they pray for the unemployed in parts of the world like Haiti or the Middle East where high unemployment is the norm. If someone is ill, suggest they pray for the children of India suffering from Malaria. Praying for others has a way of putting things in perspective so that the truth is plain.

This is why we are calling grandparents to a national Grandparent’s Day of Prayer on September 11th. Our grandchildren must navigate uncertain, desperate moral, economic and spiritual times. Fear and apathy are deadly twin sisters bent on keeping us from making wise decisions and taking appropriate action. I urge you to go to your pastor or appropriate ministry leader and ask them to let your congregation know about the Grandparent’s Day of Prayer. Get involved and invite grandparents from your church and community to join us on September 11th as we go to our knees to pray for our grandchildren and our nation.

Go to our web site (www.christiangrandparenting.net/day-of-prayer.html) and get information about how to organize a prayer group in your church. Tell others about this important event and ask them to do the same. Join with thousands of grandparents across this nation who will gather on September 11, 2011 to pray…for the sake of the next generations!

GRANDPAUSE: The reason some succeed in battle is because they gain the victory on their knees before the fight begins. -Unknown

*Jon Hirst, “Turning Fear Into Prayer”, GMI Strategic Mission, July 11, 20111; http://www.gmi.org/products/operation-world/ideas-for-leaders/turning-fear-into-prayer/