by Lillian Ann Penner

Do you ever find it difficult to know how to pray for your grandchildren, especially when you have little contact with them? As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a wonderful help in the Holy Spirit who knows their needs and God’s will for their life. He will intercede for us accordingly.

As grandparents, we love our grandchildren and we want them to be happy. We would like to shield and rescue them from pain, disappointment, and discouragement if possible. Nevertheless, God may allow challenging situations in their lives for a purpose. He may have a grander plan to develop character, maturity, or strengthen their faith. Difficult circumstances can bring growth in a person.

Paul writes in Romans, that when we don’t know how to pray for our grandchildren we can ask the Holy Spirit to make intercession for us. The Holy Spirit will pray for us with such a feeling that cannot be expressed in our words. When we confess that we don’t know how to pray, and are at a loss for words and direction, we can ask the Holy Spirit to make intercession for us. Our lack of knowledge will lead us to depend upon the Spirit to intercede on our behalf. God knows what the Holy Spirit is saying as he pleads for us in harmony with his will.

When we place our concerns in God’s hand and leave it with Him, we find relief from the burden of sin and worry about their problems and disappointments. When we ask the Holy Spirit to pray for our grandchildren according to God’s will, we will not hinder God’s work. God has entrusted those loved ones to us, but they do not belong to us. They belong to Him. We must learn to pray in the Spirit without our emotions or fleshly desires hindering the surrender of our agendas for God to accomplish His work in their lives.

Isn’t it a blessing and a comfort to know God has provided an intercessor to help us in praying for our grandchildren?

Prayer:

Lord, I want to pray for ______ but I don’t know how to pray for his/her situation. Therefore, I want to ask your Holy Spirit to make intercession for ______ according to your will. I am giving my concerns for ________ to you and trust that you will accomplish your will in his/her life. In Jesus name. Amen

The Prayer link on this website has many suggestions for you in helping you to pray deliberately and effectively for your grandchildren.

Lillian PennerLillian Ann Penner is a retired secretary from public high school in Bakersfield, CA. She and her husband, John, have been married 48 years and currently reside in Portland, OR.  They have three married sons and nine grandchildren.

Lillian has been active in church ministry for 45 years, and has led a “Heart to Heart” mentoring program for women, participated in a short term missions trip in Ukraine, volunteered at the Northwest Regional office of Wycliffe Translators, Jose Zayas Evangelistic Association, and Focus On the Family. Currently, she teaches a women’s Bible study in her home church.