Are your Grandchildren living in a Greenhouse of Prayer?

In his book, “Fearless” Max Lucado writes, “Prayer is the saucer into which parental fears are poured to cool. Jesus says so little about our parenting makes no comments about spanking, breastfeeding, sibling rivalry, or schooling. His actions speak volumes about prayer. Bring your children to me. Raise them in a greenhouse of prayer.” ¹

A greenhouse is a glass structure for the growing of tender plants letting in the warmth of the sun to keep the delicate plants warm and safe. Just so, the lives of grandparents can reflect the love of God’s Son, Jesus on the lives of their grandchildren. Pray they will grow strong, develop godly character, as they are watered with God’s Word.

Parents and grandparents cannot protect their children from every threat that comes into their lives. However, if we are believers in Jesus Christ we have one to which we can take each need into the greenhouse of prayer. If we don’t know how to pray for them, we can ask them how they would like us to pray for them or be in communication with their parents about their needs.

In the wintertime, we often place our plants in a greenhouse to protect them from the severe cold weather. When the storms of life are hitting our grandchildren, they need a “greenhouse of prayer” for protection from the evil one who is seeking to destroy their faith.

In Proverbs, we read “God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children.” ² Pray for your grandchildren’s parents to be God-loyal trustworthy, living honest lives, having the wisdom to teach them to develop godly character. It is easier to explain to children holy character when they are young than when they grow older.

Take your grandchildren to a safe, warm place, the “greenhouse of prayer” praying they will grow to be strong godly men and women.

By Lillian Penner, Co-director of the Prayer Ministry of Christian Grandparenting Network, lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

¹ Max Lucado, Fearless, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2009), p. 60.

²Proverbs 20:7 (MSG)