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by Linda Bartlett
The memory is clear. It was a Sunday morning, and our pastor had something personal he wanted to tell our congregation. His daughter, Katie, was pregnant. Everyone knew Katie wasn’t married. Most certainly, Pastor explained, the circumstances were not as God intended. He and his family were surprised and disappointed. But, said Pastor, “I am a grandfather.” He and his family promised to give their daughter and grandson all the support they needed.
The grandparents kept their promise. Grandmother was particularly helpful during the waiting days before birth. She and Katie discussed the hard realities of single parenting. Then …
Katie gave birth to a son—my godson! He was a healthy, happy, and much loved little boy who was raised to know Jesus. Throughout his childhood, the promise of his grandparents was fulfilled in significant ways. When it wasn’t convenient for Katie to make the long drive home, Grandma made the trip instead. Grandpa prayed with his grandson and taught him to golf. With the help of her parents, Katie was able to graduate from college and become a teacher.
My godson was confirmed in the Christian faith. He experienced the challenges known to every teenager, but with the encouragement and mentoring of his mom—and grandparents. God’s good plan for Katie’s life was changed by sin, but the forgiveness and new life in Christ became real for Katie and her son, in part, because grandparents stayed the course.
Katie is not the only young woman in our congregation who made a choice that forever changed her life. While in college, two other young, unmarried women became pregnant. Their families were hurt and disappointed. There were tears and, I can imagine, long discussions late into the night. However, each set of parents understood that their daughters were entrusted by God with precious new life. More important than convenience or what the neighbors might think was the protection of those lives. Like Katie, these two young, unmarried moms confessed and were forgiven their sins. Today, their for life choices evidence the unconditional love of their Heavenly Father and faithfulness of grandparents.
We live in a sinful world. We let our sinful nature influence our thinking and behavior. We fail to trust God’s good plan for life. Instead, we do what we want. Consequences are sure to follow. But, because of His great love, God wants to bring us out of despair to hope, from darkness to light. This message is clearly given by parents who unconditionally love their unmarried but pregnant daughter … or who unconditionally love their son who has fathered a child apart from marriage. The message of God’s unconditional and forever faithful love is given by grandparents who welcome their grandchildren—no matter what the circumstances of conception—as precious gifts from the Lord of Life.
The reality of this sinful world is that not all grandparents welcome their grandchildren. Some grandparents see their grandchild as “inconvenient.” They may think, “Our daughter must first consider her future.” Or, “Our son is too young to be a father.” Failing to trust God, they take their daughters to the abortion clinic or give their sons money to pay for the abortion of their grandchild. We pray for these grandparents—that they will recognize their sin, confess their lack of faith, and ask to be forgiven by God and their daughters or sons.
Another reality of this sinful world is that many grandparents would have welcomed their “too soon” or “unplanned” grandchildren. Instead, they mourn the loss of a grandchild because their daughters or sons chose abortion as the “way out” of a difficult situation. God knows the pain felt by these grandparents. He wants them to entrust the grandchild they never held to His care. He wants them to help their daughters or sons to leave the sin of their abortion choice at the foot of the cross where Jesus forgives and heals.
As you think of grandparents who have forgotten that each “fetus” (Latin for “young one”) is created, redeemed, and loved by God, pray they will seek His mercy. As you remember the grandparents who have loved as their Father loves, pray they will be comforted.
God, in His mercy and grace, is faithful.
“From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.” (Psalm 103:17)
Grandparents who love life make a difference for generations to come.
“He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.” (Psalm 78:5-6)
“Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.” (Psalm 102:18)