Lie stood with her Chinese relatives who had gathered at the Singapore airport to farewell her for study in Australia. Her grandmother gently urged her away from the group, and sidled up to Lie. She whispered to her, " Lie, if you ever need a friend, ask Jesus to help you".
Lie told me, " I was not a christian at that time, yet it was the testimony of my grandmother that set me thinking about Jesus Christ when I became very lonely in Australia." And when she received the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, Lie knew He was her friend.
Bogatsky, a Hungarian-German, was born 1n 1711. He wrote the first-known book of daily devotions, which was later translated from German to English. I found a copy of the book, Bogatsky’s Golden Treasury, at a sale of old books. Bogatsky wrote of his early life in the German Courts of his day. It was early 18th century, where evil and licentiousness reigned. He wrote, " It was the interest and prayers of my godly grandmother and aunt that kept me from sinking into that type of life. I was kept from sin to serve the Saviour".
When a Bible College student told us that his parents opposed his training for the Lord, I asked, " Surely there was some godly influence in your life."
" Yes, I know that my grandfather prayed for me, and since he died, I realised that God answered his prayers for my call to missionary service."
When grandchildren arrive, we grandparents accept the responsibility of loving and supporting their parents in christian nurture. They are never too small or too tall to hear of God’s love for them.
Our grandchildren know that we pray for them three times a day. One wrote, " I had a miserable day today, but wherever I am, I know that you and Papa are praying for me, and I appreciate that."
When a Chinese student from Malaysia stayed in our home, she wrote fortnightly to her parents, but weekly to her Gran. When I enquired the reason, Lily answered,
" Gran has been the greatest influence on my life. Gran prayed for me, taught me Bible verses, and always encouraged me to serve the Lord. She rebuked me when necessary."
No grandparents should feel their life’s work is over when the children leave home, because their godly example and prayer life are testimonies to the young ones. " More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of," wrote the poet.
At a wedding we sat beside an aunt of the bride. She recalled how she and the bride’s grandmother met every week to pray for this girl, as her own parents were not christians. The radiant bride and her godly husband were a sure testimony to the delighted praying grandmother and aunt.
We take courage from God’s promise to David,
"From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is
with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their
childrens’ children - with those who keep His covenant and
remember to obey His precepts."
( Psalm 103:17-18 )
Count Zinzendorf was the leader of the Moravian Brethren in Europe. He owed his spiritual progress to the prayer and influence of his grandmother. In the book,
" Holy Spirit in missions" author A.J. Gordon writes of Zinzendorf. " At four years of age, he made the covenant that Christ ‘ Be Thou mine, dear Saviour, and I will be Thine’ and ‘Henceforth that place is my home where I can have the greatest opportunity of labouring for my Saviour’." A praying grandmother taught him in all things spiritual and temporal.
Grandparents, we are not too old to serve the Lord. God benefits us with the choice ministry of influencing our grandchildren through prayer, teaching, and encouragement with the Holy Spirit’s power.
Cecily’s parents spent their days in continuous occult practices. When I marvelled that she became a christian at twelve years of age, I asked her, " What happened to bring you to Christ as your Saviour?"
" My godly grandmother. She prayed for me, and explained the gospel when she had the opportunity of brief visits to our home. I owe my christian life to God’s grace through the gentle, persuasive teaching of dear Gran,." And Cecily’s m inistry today is amongst those imprisoned in occult practices.
Although you may not be a grandparent, start praying for your children, and your children’s children. Here is a sure promise
" Oh that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep all My commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever." ( Deut 5;29 )
My husband often speaks of his godly grandparents,now long-time with the Lord.
As a child he often sat on his grandfather’s knee. Grandfather was a humble blacksmith, who was righteous in life and strong in body and faith. .The silver-haired
man was known in a country town in South Australia as " Holy Robert". Although he had little formal education, he knew his Bible. When he signed his name, he always added " John 3:16". " When we asked Grandfather a Bible verse, he turned to it in a moment."
With grandmother, he prayed for this grandson to become a gospel preacher. Instead he became a medical doctor and as a layman, he is privileged to preach and teach the Word regularly, including Bible groups in our home, and witnessing to patients in medical practice." God answered the prayer of Holy Robert and Elisabeth.
Many older folk fruitfully minister as spiritual grandparents, and I am grateful to the grandparents and aunts and uncles among christians who assure me,
" I pray every day for you and your children."
Yes, grandparents are special people!