If Timothy’s grandmother Lois had not been faithful in passing on her faith to her daughter Eunice and grandson Timothy we would not have the books, I and II Timothy in the Bible today. This is a good generational example of the importance of passing on the faith to future generations. Lois is our forerunner who modeled grandmothering for us.

Isn’t it interesting that nowhere in the Bible does it say that the church has the primary responsibility to pass on our faith to the next generation. It makes clear that parents and grandparents are the principal conduit to instruct their children and grandchildren about God and his love for them.

Many grandparents are greatly concerned their children are not passing on the values and faith by which they were raised. Therefore, grandparents have a crucial role to fill, if faith is to be found on earth when Jesus comes back for his own. In the Bible, we read about many people God used in the autumn season of life for life’s greatest work. According to God’s Word, God wants grandparents to focus on passing a godly legacy to the next generation. The demonstrations of our faithful walk with the Lord and our prayers for our grandchildren are powerful ways to pass on our faith to the next generation.

Grandmother’s Role

The role of godly grandparents is to communicate their faith in Jesus Christ and pray diligently for their grandchildren. We are also to tell future generations how God has walked with us and demonstrated his mighty works in our lives. God is waiting for us to ask Him for opportunities if we are overwhelmed with how to be a godly influence on your grandchildren. God has given us the responsibility to set a positive example. We do affect our grandchildren one way or another, in a positive or negative fashion.

In Proverbs 27:19, we read, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person” (NLT). What does the reflection of our “real person” look like? When we are committed to read and meditate on God’s Word, we reflect a life transformed into his image. As we invest in our own walk with the Lord, we are spiritually investing in the lives of our grandchildren by modeling a godly example. As spiritual role models, we can demonstrate the reality of our faith by walking with God through both the storms and sunny days of our lives.

Grandmother’s Prayers

We, as grandmothers love to give gifts to their grandchildren, however, the greatest and most lasting gift we can give them is to be their prayer intercessor, affecting and imprinting their generation with God’s faithfulness. The material things we leave our grandchildren are temporary; however, our prayers and examples can make a significant impact on them for a lifetime. Our greatest blessings will come when we see God answering our prayers in their lives and we get to see the results. However, we may die before we see the answers to our prayers, they will not be cancelled when we go to heaven, and they will outlive us.

With the pressure on families today, grandchildren need our hugs, reassurance, and wisdom more than ever. It is also imperative for us to communicate to our grandchildren that we love them and accept them, even though we may not accept their behavior. In today’s broken world, Satan’s purpose is to destroy the family. It is important that we pray God will give the mothers and fathers of our dear grandchildren godly wisdom in the monumental task of teaching and guiding our grandchildren in the ways of the Lord.

Do your grandchildren see an authenticity and sincerity about you in your relationship with God? What a blessing it would be for me to hear my grandchildren say, “I want to have a relationship with the Lord like my grandmother modeled for me.” I hope I can say in the years to come, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children and grandchildren are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4).

Ask yourself:

• What kind of memories will my grandchildren have of me when I pass away?

• Is my walk with the Lord what I want reflected in the lives of my grandchildren?

• Do I want my grandchildren to imitate my spiritual life?

• Will they want my Jesus?

• Will my love for God keep on living through my grandchildren, even after I am deceased?

Prayer

Dear Lord, forgive me when I have not taken the time to be in your Word

or modeled the life of a godly grandparent.

Help me to take the time to read and meditate on your Word every day

so I will reflect your face in the heart of my grandchildren.

Help me to be a godly example, teaching my grandchildren to live lives of truth

with integrity, authenticity, and seriousness.

Help me to give sound, wise, wholesome counsel and guidance,

encouraging my grandchildren to know and follow Christ wholeheartedly.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Note: Christian Grandparenting Network is forming Grandparents@Prayer (G@P) groups all over the United States. Ask a few grandparents to join you to stand in the G@P to pray for your dear grandchildren on a regular basis. I pray with several other grandmothers and I feel so blessed uniting in prayer for each other’s grandchildren. Go to www.christiangrandparenting.net and fill out the G@P form and we will be happy to send you information to help you stand in the gap with other grandparents.

The recently published book Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren by Lillian Penner will challenge you and give you more creative ideas to pray intentionally for your grandchildren. From cell phones to photo prayer journals, you will find tools that will work for you. The book is available at www.christiangrandparenting.net.