Praying for My Grandchildren

My husband and I welcomed our tenth grandchild in May. We love babies in general, but it has been especially sweet to watch our (now grown) babies raise babies of their own.

We’ve been blessed. Most of our grandkids live in or very close to our hometown. So we see them often.

Investing in the Next Generation

Hardly a day goes by without them dropping in to say hello or eat a meal. Or share a story. Or play with our children who still live at home — aunts and uncles who aren’t much older than they (and in a couple of cases, are even younger).

But some of our grandchildren live some distance away.

We have a brand new grandson who lives four hours away in the heart of Houston. And a delightful little granddaughter who has spent her entire life half a world away in Germany.

Whether near or far, one of the best ways grandparents can invest in the lives of their children’s children is to pray for them.

This has been the lifelong habit of my own mother. Even at age 82, she still gets down on her knees daily to intercede on behalf of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, praying for each of us by name.

And God has been faithful to answer those prayers. We’ve seen their fruit in our own lives and in the lives of our kids and grandkids.

Now I’m determined to continue that legacy. It’s a discipline we’d all do well to emulate (whether we have grandchildren or not).

Here are a few of the prayers my mom and I pray for ours, conveniently organized into a handy acrostic to spell “GRANDS.”

The next generation needs our prayers. Won’t you join us today in storming the throne of Grace on their behalf?

A Prayer for My Grandchildren

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

G is for Grace

Lord, I pray for each of my grandchildren by name. (Philemon 1:3-4) Lavish Your grace upon them. (Ephesians 1:7-8) All worldly success will be for naught if they never possess a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mark 8:36) Reveal Yourself to them through Your written Word (2 Timothy 3:15-17), through the glories of Your creation (Psalm 19:1-2), and through the proclamation of the gospel. (Romans 10:14) In lovingkindness, draw them to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10) and mature them in their faith, conforming them to the blessed image of Your dear Son. (Romans 8:28-30)

R is for Relationships

Watch over each grandchild’s relationships, God. (Proverbs 6:22) Grant their parents wisdom (James 1:5) and endurance (Isaiah 40:29) as they train up their children. (Proverbs 22:6) Help them love their family well. (John 13:34-35) Provide good teachers (Luke 6:40) who’ll challenge, inspire, and stir up in them a deep thirst for knowledge and truth. (Proverbs 5:1-2) Protect my grandchildren from evil influences. (2 Timothy 2:22) Send godly friends who will build them up and point them to Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)Teach them to be kind, compassionate, and encouraging to others, as well. (Ephesians 4:32)

A is for Appetites

Lord, this world offers an endless array of junk (1 John 2:16-17) — some of it pure poison. (Romans 3:13) Cultivate in my grandchildren a taste for wholesome fare. (Psalm 34:8) Guard them against addiction to anything that would be detrimental to their physical, mental, or emotional health. (Titus 3:3-5) Help them make wise choices. (Proverbs 2:10-11) Teach them to hunger and thirst after righteousness. (Matthew 5:6) Nourish them with physical and spiritual food (John 4:32-34) that will help them grow in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52)

N is for Needs

God, help my grandchildren look to You to supply all their needs according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) Give them neither poverty nor riches. (Proverbs 30:8) Feed them with the bread that is their portion, (Matthew 6:11) so they’ll have neither too much and deny You nor too little and dishonor You. (Proverbs 30:9) Instead, develop in them a heart of contentment. (1 Timothy 6:6; Philippians 4:11-12) Teach them perseverence. (James 1:4) Finish in them the work you began, so they will be mature and complete, (Philippians 1:6) lacking in nothing. (Psalm 23:1)

D is for Discernment

Grant my grandchildren a spirit of discernment, Lord. (Romans 12:2; Proverbs 1:5) Keep them humble (Psalm 25:9-10) and teachable, yet wise beyond their years. (Psalm 119:98-100) Teach them to trust in You with all their hearts, rather than pridefully leaning on their own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) Do not let them walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scorners, (Psalm 1:1-2) but may they delight, instead, in Your precious Word and weigh everything they hear (Acts 17:11) against its unchanging truth. (Hebrews 4:12)

S is for Safety

Father, protect my grandchildren from harm. (Psalm 121:7) Stand watch over them. (Psalm 127:1) May they lie down and sleep in peace, knowing that You alone make them dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8) Do not allow them adopt a spirit of timidity or fear (2 Timothy 1:7), but make them strong in spirit. (Ephesians 6:10) Help them to boldly speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), demonstrating a sound mind, exercising self-control, freely forgiving offenders (Ephesians 4:32), praying for those who malign or mistreat them, and extending grace to all. (Luke 6:27-28; Romans 12:14

I designed a printable copy of this acrostic prayer. To download a free copy, just click on the link below: