“Take heed and be diligent not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen. As long as you live, do not let them pass from your memory but teach them to your children and to your grandchildren” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
Grandparents have a responsibility to teach their faith, not only to their
Faith is comprised of three distinguishable elements: the experience of God, the content of belief, and the way of life we lead. To fully demonstrate our faith, we must engage our grandchildren on all three. This article looks at the first of those topics: the experience of God.
You declare your faith by bringing your grandchildren into your own experience of God. Sharing your personal story of conversion, explaining your church service, giving thanks before meals, and praying with your grandchildren are all excellent ways to begin this process. Ultimately, you want to help them understand what is behind the awe and wonder they already perceive in this world.
Almost all human beings can describe an experience of wonder and awe from their childhood, whether it was the first time they swam in an ocean, climbed a mountain, or gazed on the beauty of a waterfall. Awe is the doorway to faith. Scripture says, “The beginning of wisdom (understanding the most important things) is the fear of the Lord.” In other words: awe of the Lord. God makes himself known as the almighty, invisible, wonderful, and good God he is to all children through the wonders of His creation before they can ever describe or define what they experience.
One of the most enjoyable things you can do is help your grandchildren see what is behind their sense of wonder. It is something, someone, truly wonderful. When you help a child “connect the dots” between his sense of awe and the being who causes it, you enable them to put it all together and realize: “this is because of that!” It is an “Aha!” moment for them. They learn the truth that “the heavens declare the glory of God.” You give them the words to make sense of what they experienced: “You were made to know the One Who Is Wonderful.”
For discussion: What has been the deepest experience of God you’ve had in your life?
For action:
Young grandchildren: Plan an activity with one of your grandchildren in which they will experience God’s love through nature. Plan on talking to them about who created all these.
Older grandchildren: Write down your conversion story and plan on when and how to share it with one of your grandchildren.
Pili Galván Abouchaar is the director of Grandly and lives in Lansing, Michigan.
Copyright © 2019 Grandly: The Strategic Grandparents Club.