During spring time when we see the daffodils and tulips blooming we often think of preparing our own gardens. I grew up on a farm in the Midwest and we always had a garden to grow our own potatoes and vegetables. As I was thinking about sowing seeds in the garden, I was reminded of the parable Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 13 of the sower needing good soil to sow his seed.

The Word of God is the seed that needs to be sown in good soil so it will bring forth a harvest. Jesus says, good soil represents a person who listens to God’s Word and accepts it. However, if a person hears God’s Word and doesn’t accept it, Satan comes and snatches away the seed from his heart.

As grandparents we can pray that the hearts of our grandchildren will have good soil. We want them to be aware that God loves them, be prepared to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and to accept it when they hear it. Our grandchildren do not inherit a relationship with Jesus Christ. But we can pray for good soil.

For the seed to sprout and grow into a plant it needs lots of sunshine and warmth. We can pray that the watering of God’s Word and the sun (God’s SON) will warm the hearts of our grandchildren with His love as they grow and produce healthy spiritual lives.

Growing plants need weeding and pruning. The weeding must be done so the plant isn’t overcome by the weeds of sin creeping up in the lives of our grandchildren. Pruning can be painful because of disappointments, discouragements and failures they may face. There may even be times of drought, when they need extra watering.

However, God has given us, as grandparents, the privilege of partnering with Him to prepare, water and encourage spiritual growth for our grandchildren through our prayers and our personal communication.

Here are some suggestions you can pray for your grandchildren:

Ask God to prepare the soil of their hearts.

Pray they will to invite Jesus Christ into their hearts.

Pray their hearts will be watered with His Word and warmed with the love of His SON for the seed to grow.

Pray for them to experience God’s presence and love in their hearts when they are being weeded and pruned.

Pray they will guard their hearts as they are growing so they will produce a good harvest.

Pray for their parents to teach them God’s Word and godly principles.

Our prayer suggestions this month will show us how to pray for the fruit of the spirit to be evident in the lives of our grandchildren as a result of good soil producing an abundant harvest.

© 2009 Lillian Penner