God Hears Your Prayers, Mom! Yours too, Grandma!
The other evening, I watched an answered prayer walk around the ballpark, laughing and giggling like two thirteen-year-old girls. Okay, so the answer actually took the form of two thirteen-year-old girls, which explains much of the giggling. Stay with me and I’ll unpack the prayer part.
One of the young girls was my oldest granddaughter. Last year, at this same time, I had watched Emerson walk around the park alone, for the most part. To be sure, she would visit with different groups of kids, and she did have friends, she just didn’t have that special relationship I knew she was longing for. I was joining her mother in praying for Emerson to find a heart buddy, someone who could walk through this season of life with her, who could help encourage her in her walk with Jesus and vice versa.
It was a familiar pang for this Keggie’s heart. When my daughter, Emerson’s aunt, was young, I had prayed similar prayers. I had asked the Lord to give Jessica “Jesus friendships” because I know how vital they can be in our journeys. Today, Jessica is a mother of two and she has a circle of wonderful friends who do Bible Study together, encourage each other, and hold the others accountable. And Emerson? That ballpark scene the other evening wrecked me in the best way as I remembered how my heart had hurt for her last year! Today she is enjoying the sweetest of friendships with Clara. I whispered thank you more than once as I watched them, and I reminded myself, yet again, to keep taking the other people in my life to God in prayer.
Acknowledging our answered prayers is not only good and necessary; it’s also the gift that keeps giving when we share our experiences with others. I’ve seen this play out countless times. I’ve known the testimony of an answered prayer to encourage others to keep trusting, and keep praying, on a day when they may have been at the point of giving up. That’s the goal of this post. I want to encourage you to pray for your kids and grandkids and to keep praying. Pray about everything that concerns them, eternal matters, temporary concerns, big things and small. Let’s pray, friends. James said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much!”
What’s that? Not feeling very righteous? Pray anyway. If you’ve put your trust in Christ Jesus, you’re standing in His righteousness. None of us are righteous apart from Him. And that fervent part? I’ve learned I can’t do that either, not when I’m trying to pull some notion of fervency out of my own heart. Oh, but when I ask Jesus to bring His passion to my prayers, He brings a fervency I can’t manufacture.
God answers prayers. Let’s pray!
Father God, we want to learn to pray and keep praying in all areas of our lives, but today, we especially ask You to help us to pray and believe for our kids and grandkids. Remind us to speak Your word over them. You are a good, good Father. Help us model Your love to our families and see them live out the potential and purpose You have placed in them. In the sweet name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Hugs, Shellie
