A Legacy of Prayer

"God shapes the world by prayer. Prayers are deathless. They outlive the lives of those who uttered them."-E.M. Bounds

      Twelve grandchildren! I never thought Jerry and I would be so blessed. And whether we realize it our not, these little ones are watching our lives. We are teaching, mentoring, and passing along truths that we have learned.

      I didn't grow up in a Christian home and I was able to attend church only because another family faithfully gave me rides. I had a profound salvation experience at eight years old and my faith became very precious to me. I knew there weren't many Christians in our extended family. My paternal grandfather was a preacher, but he was killed in an auto accident before I was born. I lived in another state and never knew my grandmother well. My father didn't talk much about his parents-perhaps because they were Christians and he wasn't. Because God was such a huge part of my life, I longed for a strong Christian heritage that I thought didn't exist.

      A few years ago while attending my aunt's funeral, I met an elderly minister who had been close to my father's family. I explained that I never knew my grandfather and asked if he had any information about him. Reverend Cook promised to check his files, and, to my delight, sent me a large fat envelope two weeks later.

      The packet contained minutes of state conventions where my grandfather had presided as the head of his denomination for the state of Mississippi. It included sermons he had preached and references to other family members. It was like opening a treasure chest from my past, and I savored every word. However, the most precious document was a yellowed, dog-eared essay entitled "The Testimony of Sister E.C. Rider." 

      My grandmother's words thrilled and completely captivated me as she told how she and my grandfather found Christ in 1917. After feeling a call to the ministry, they sold all their possessions and lived by faith. She told of God's miraculous provision, protection in the face of grave danger, and how they had devoured God's word, even though the only Bible they owned had a considerable portion missing. My grandparents continued in ministry for the remainder of their lives.

      I know it was no accident that I ran into Reverend Cook. An important part of my history could have been so easily lost, but God gave it to me as a gift. And I knew that my distant grandparents could have impacted my life more than I'd realized.

      Could it have been their prayers that drew me into the Kingdom despite the un-Christian environment of my home? Were their prayers responsible for the belated, yet sincere conversion of my mother and father, along with many of my uncles? I remember vividly when my father prayed the sinner's prayer and then later watched my mother as a brand new Christian being baptized in the Jordon River in Israel. She was wearing a white robe, a hotel shower cap, and a grin from ear to ear. I imagine there were a few grins in heaven on the faces of my grandparents, too. 

      The greatest gift you can give your children and grandchildren is one of prayer. As adults they must live their own lives and make their own choices. But we can pray faithfully for our offspring-every single day.

      Discovering the unexpected riches of my spiritual roots was priceless to me. I came to see what a valuable legacy of faith, self-sacrifice, and ministry my grandparents had left me. I'm inspired to do the same for my grandchildren. Because the example of a life lived for Christ-and the legacy of prayer-is the greatest inheritance of all.