By Sherry Schumann, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Summerville

Let’s make National Grandparents’ Day on September 13, 2020, a Day of Prayer for our grandchildren and their parents!

The enemy prowls like a lion, infiltrating our culture with lies and deception. He attacks our families at all levels. Even our Christian faith is under attack. As a result, parents and grandparents find themselves in a tug-of-war for the souls of their children and grandchildren.

Paul warns us, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

 Barna Research confirms Paul’s warning. Fifty-eight percent of adults living in the United States agree that “identifying moral truth is up to each individual; there are no moral absolutes that apply to everyone, all the time. Surprisingly, 48% of adults who identified as born-again Christians agreed with the statement.”[1]

God has given grandparents a sacred trust – an opportunity to imprint another generation with His love and faithfulness. We need to intercede for the hearts, minds and souls of our grandchildren and their parents, praying they don’t fall captive to the enemy’s deception.

With this is mind, the Prayer Ministry of Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN) is inviting you and your church families to join us on National Grandparents’ Day (September 13^th) for a Virtual Grandparents’ Day of Prayer.

What is a “Virtual Grandparents’ Day of Prayer?

Several years ago, the prayer ministry of CGN saw the urgency to establish a day for grandparents to unite in prayer. Under the leadership of Lillian Penner, the second Sunday of September was named Grandparents’ Day of Prayer. This day coincided with National Grandparents’ Day in the United States. Churches enthusiastically responded by hosting events such as grandparent prayer breakfasts, luncheons and afternoon teas.

The present pandemic has forced many churches to close their doors for in-person gatherings or limit the amount of available seating. Therefore, instead of the traditional Grandparents’ Day of Prayer, we are inviting you, as grandparents, to observe a Virtual Grandparents’ Day of Prayer on September 13^th. We are encouraging you to pray with at least one other grandparent over the phone, via a conferencing tool such as Zoom, or in person with careful observance of social distancing guidelines.

What are the Steps?

Prior to September 13^th:

1. Enlist at least one other grandparent to pray with you.
2. Select a time and “location” (ie. phone call, Zoom chat or social distanced).
3. Mark down this information on your calendar.

On September 13^th:

1. Connect virtually with the other grandparents.
2. Open with a brief devotion.
3. Pray together for the salvation and sanctification of your grandchildren and their parents.
4. Close with the Lord’s Prayer.

After September 13^th:

Consider praying monthly with the other grandparent(s) for one year.

To learn more visit https://christiangrandparenting.com/

A Prayer for Grandparents Day of Prayer

Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.  Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children (Lamentations 2:19).

 Dearest Lord Jesus,

We come to you today, praying for each of our grandchildren and their parents. While these loved ones are precious to us, they are more adored by You, their Lord and Savior. 

 We pray You bless them with good health, sound minds, healthy emotions and loving hearts.  Please guide and guard them in this challenging world. Let them know You intimately, love You passionately and serve You faithfully all the days of their lives. And when the time comes for them to leave this earth, please bring them home to You so that we may live together eternally. 

 We pray You equip us to be the godly grandparents, which You envisioned when You created us. May we always love our grandchildren as You love them. May we understand them as You understand them and view them as You view them.

 Lord Jesus, we now place our thanksgivings and prayer request for our grandchildren and their parents at the foot of the cross… (Please mention your children and grandchildren by name, giving thanks and offering special prayer requests.)

 All this, we ask in Your precious and powerful Name, Jesus!

 Amen.    

 (A special thanks to Cathy Jacobs and Cheryl Cargill for giving us permission to adapt and use this prayer for this year’s Grandparents’ Day of Prayer. Cathy is the founder of Pass the Legacy and author of Pass the Legacy: 7 Keys for Grandparents Making a Difference. Cheryl serves as the SC GrandCamp registrar and editor of the newsletter, Grandparents on the Go.)

[1] The findings are part of the American Worldview Inventory and were released by George Barna, director of research at the cultural research center at Arizona Christian University.