“My Grandma passed from this life into eternity on Thursday, January 27, 2011. To know her was to know her Savior. She was a fervent prayer warrior, spending many hours each day praying for each member of her family, as well as her friends, Seems like a large feat considering she has 9 children, 20 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. However, pray she did. Always. Constantly. I remember when we would be at their house and we would have devotions at night before going to bed. She and Grandpa would pray and pray and pray for the family. When I was younger, I admit at times I almost fell asleep, but looking back, I can see how that devotion to prayer helped shape part of who I am.

I am not saying that other people I know are not faithful in their relationship with Christ, but my Grandma seemed extraordinarily good at ministering to others. Whether it was her family or friends, she would always have words of encouragement taken straight from scripture. I wish I had as much of the Bible memorized as she did.

I have many memories of her, and someday soon, I will record those to hold onto. For now, though, I just like to play them in my mind. We will miss you grandma! Thank you for teaching us how to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” May our eyes never stray.” ¹

Oswald Chambers writes in My Utmost for His Highest, “The people who influence us most are not those who buttonhole us and talk to us, but those who live their lives like the stars of heaven and the lilies in the field, perfectly simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mould us.” ²

Often we spoil God’s intended influence through us by our self-conscious attempt to be consistent and effective in our grandparenting. We read in God’s Word that we are to pay focus on the Source (God) and out of us will flow rivers of living water. We cannot mature in our spiritual lives on our own. We need Jesus to be our teacher to help us grow in our spiritual lives so that rivers of living waters will flow from our lives to our grandchildren.

If we want to be godly grandparents, we need to be walking closely with Jesus Christ and He will use us, unconsciously, in the lives of our grandchildren.

As we pray for our grandchildren, let’s pray for ourselves to be godly examples in the way we live our lives. Our grandchildren observe and copy us so we need to be careful because how we live often speaks louder than what we do say.

Question: How will my grandchildren remember me? Will they want my Jesus?

¹ Used with permission by David J. Sanders, Cedar Rapids, IA; written by Emily Sanders Pitts.

² Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, (Nashville, TN: Discovery House: Tyndale House, 1994), May 18.

© Lillian Penner 2011