Grandparents’ Day: Lessons from a Grandparent

day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). Follow Paul’s example: “We worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (2 Thessalonians 3:8). Warring Hands: The Christian life is one of spiritual warfare, not spiritual welfare. We are not called to a spiritual vacation, but to a military vocation—soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3)! We are not called to a church picnic, but to a lifelong spiritual battle. “Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11), and “fight the battle well” (1 Timothy 1:18), so that you can be like the Apostle Paul at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Worshiping Hands: We were created to worship God: “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands” (Psalm 63:4). However, our heart and our hands need to be in the right place before we worship. “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3–4). Once again, we look to Paul: “I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing” (1 Timothy 2:8).

Remember again that only sanctified hands can become servant’s hands for God’s glory and for the good of others. So pray to the Lord and dedicate your hands to Him so that He can use them as working, warring, and worshiping hands.

Remember that Jesus has eternal nail scars in His hands as proof of His love for you. His hands were pierced with nails so that your hands could be cleansed, anointed, and free. He wants your hands to be His hands, used exclusively for His honor and glory!

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Grandparents’ Day—First Sunday after Labor Day

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4–5

The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you. Psalm 102:28

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5

You may have heard the saying, “If I had known how wonderful grandchildren were going to be, I would have had them first!” For most of us, that’s true. Patt and I have found this grand relationship much less stressful than parenting, although it carries its own kind of spiritual burden. We try to see ourselves as the supporting cast for the primary actors, the parents, and have always prayed that our help would be of value, like cheerleaders cheering their team on the playing field.

On that note, here are some of the principles that apply to those of us in the grandparenting role as we consider the Scriptures above.

Sovereignty: God is fully in control of all areas of life. This assurance gives us a measure of livable peace, especially when we see our children making child-rearing decisions that we would have made differently.

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Truth: God’s truth will prevail and triumph, whether or not we live to see it, and whether or not we correctly model the victorious Christian life at this phase in our lives. Honor: Children are to honor their father and mother. As strongly as we are able, we are to reinforce and promote the fifth commandment. We want the only commandment with a promise to be true for our grandchildren. Relationships: Our God is the only relational God in the world, so relationships are of supreme importance to Him. The greatest route to happiness and holiness is to love God and others—beginning with family members. Reconciliation: There is not a family alive that has not, or will not, face some degree of conflict or alienation. If there are struggles at the parental or sibling levels, grandparents can thoughtfully “offer” to be a bridge toward forgiveness and reconciliation between the warring parties. If the conflict is because of us, we need to repent and ask forgiveness. Transparency: The Lord honors truthfulness in our relationships. However, a wise grandparent prays much before offering his perspective on the truth, covering all comments with love and humility. We should withhold opinions until God gives the go-ahead. Thinking: Even grandparents have an infinite capacity for rationalization and self-justification. We must intentionally take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Once our thinking is under Christ’s control, our speech will be pleasant, seasoned as it were with salt—and some sugar! Prayer: Grandchildren are greatly encouraged knowing that their grandfather and grandmother regularly pray for them, whether they are with them or away from them. It’s a gift that bears much fruit and can be a sort of spiritual safety net in young minds when they hear those prayers at bedtime, mealtime, and during sickness or stress.

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