Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren
Since we are in the autumn season, I was reminded of my childhood, growing up on a wheat farm in Oklahoma. In the summer after the wheat harvest, my father would prepare the soil for the next year’s harvest and in the autumn, he would sow the wheat seed. Throughout the winter months, we would wait for the rains to water the seed and wait for it to come up and watch it grow. In the spring, we would see the wheat heads form and ripen to a golden color for the harvest in early June.
We simply had faith that once the seed was in the ground, nature would take its course, and the golden heads of wheat would be ready to be harvested in the summer.
It reminds me of when we pray we are sowing seed, asking God in faith for what we desire. Once we have asked, things start happening behind the scenes, whether we are asleep or awake, God is at work, preparing an answer to our prayers. In God’s timing the answer will be evident and we will “reap” the results of our seed (prayer) sown.
However, we must have faith trusting God is at work even when it seems like nothing is happening while we are wait for the seed (prayers) to sprout, grow, and bring forth a harvest.
One little seed has a lot of potential, it seems so small, but under the right conditions, this one seed can grow into a plant that will yield a great harvest! Spiritual multiplication is the same. The seed (prayers) that we sow in the lives of our grandchildren will produce a harvest, even into the next generation, our great-grandchildren. The seeds of prayer that we plant today will yield a harvest of blessing in the future.
Questions: What are you asking God in faith for your grandchildren today?
Are you able to fully trust God with the prayers that you are sowing to bring forth a harvest in the lives of your grandchildren?
“And let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9, NKJV).
“Prayer is one of the easiest subjects to talk upon,
but one of the hardest to practice.”
−Henrietta Mears, What the Bible Is All About, p.598.
I would appreciate your comments about how you are sowing seeds in the lives of your grandchildren.
By Lillian Penner
Lillian, I enjoy this article. This is a wonderful analogy. Our prayers do require faith similar to that of the farmer when he plants seed. Just hadn’t thought of it before.
Four of my great-grands were here for lunch today. It is so fun to have them here, watch them interact with each other, their parents and with me – G.G. I pray daily for the parents as they train them and that they will soon accept Jesus as their Savior. The three oldest regularly attend S.S. and Awana – the youngest is still in the nursery.
God Bless You, Elaine
Saying the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus’ model, is best combined with movement for all ages who are just learning it. I searched the internet and found movement recommendations which are easily learned and change with each phrase. I am leading grandmothers who in turn lead their grandchildren in action-oriented prayers. No longer are the words rote memory, but expressive.
Thank you for your comment about the Lord’s prayer as a model in praying for our grandchildren. I am happy to hear about your grandmothers group praying together for your grandchildfren.