As grandparents, do we have a position of influence in our grandchildren’s faith journey? Professor Mark Muska and Brad Sickler from the University of Northwestern say yes. Professor Sickler reminds us that we are all called to bear witness to our faith on a daily basis.
“I think that’s the call for anybody who has people in their lives who don’t know the Lord, and maybe aren’t even open to hearing about the Lord. We don’t relent; we persist in prayer.”
“The best thing to do, with gentleness and respect, is just maintain that witness and be salt and light.”
Professor Muska discusses the importance of prayer and relying on God to do His part.
“There’s a trap that we get into sometimes where we think that if we just say the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, that someone is going to open their heart to the Lord, but God is the one who intervenes and He opens hearts, and sometimes by surprise when we don’t even think it’s going to happen.”
He points us to the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18.
“I love Jesus’ parable of the widow who, with the judge, just wears him out with her petitions. Jesus’ response is,
‘Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?’ Luke 18:7
“So never give up on your prayers.”
Grandparents, never underestimate your influence and never stop praying for your grandchildren. Professor Sickler testifies to the power of prayer, and influence that his great-grandmother passed on to his family.
“I was very touched after my great-grandmother passed, to read some things that she had written in her diary; praying for her great-grandchildren, that they would come to know and love Jesus.”
“That Godly heritage passed on then to my grandmother, who also prayed and was a big influence and a real light in my life when I wanted to see what Christ looked like.”
Ask the Professor: On the third Thursday of every month we invite Bible professors from the University of Northwestern into the studio and open the phone lines for your questions on the Bible, faith, and the church. Call in during the live show, or submit your questions via email on Connecting Faith’s show page.
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