What my Kids and Grandkids Have That I Didn’t Have (Part 2)

(Note: This article is Part 2 of a two-part series. I invite you to read Part 1 here.)

I think that every parent, especially dads, want to give their children more than they had growing up. Maybe it’s a bigger house, more stuff, even a brighter future. That is a fairly normal goal. However, I have not been concerned about those kinds of things. I wanted my children and grandchildren to be raised in a Christian home where my wife and I were able to impart a spiritual legacy.

Here is a summary of what I discussed in my last article:

• God enabled me to become a decent husband, father, and grandfather, despite the fact that I did not have good role models

• My transformed life in Christ made me a man who learned to think more about others than myself, love unconditionally, and become more Christ-like

• My wife and I were not raised in a Christian home; although we were raised with good values, we were not shown God’s love and truth

• Only by the grace of God our children and grandchildren have seen what Christian marriage and parenting looks like

In this second article, I will contrast the experiences my children and I had with our respective grandparents with what our grandchildren have now. I want to focus on God’s work, not mine.

What my kids and I did not have with our grandparents

Let me now step back and reflect on my experience with my own grandmothers and on what our children experienced with their grandparents and step-grandparents. Contrary to what you might think, it wasn’t all bad. For example, I saw my dad work hard to be a better grandfather than he was as a father.

The first thing that comes to mind is that my children had way too many grandparents due to multiple divorces and remarriages. Instead of just mom’s mom and dad, and dad’s parents (four total), each of our parents at one point were all remarried, so our kids had a total of eight grandparents and step-grandparents. I know; more presents at Christmas, right? However, it was all very confusing to our young children. It also made it difficult to split time between them at the holidays. Also, as nice as my two grandmothers were and as kind and generous as my children’s eight grandparents and step-grandparents were, only one of them (on rare occasions) was a godly influence. Other than my wife’s mother, I never heard one of them say that they were praying for us or our kids.

One of the other frustrations my wife and I had while our kids were growing up was how infrequently our kids saw their grandparents. To be fair, it may have been largely due to the fact that we were a military family for twenty years. We were often stationed far away from our families of origin, but we would try to see as many of them as we could when during our moves across the country. Some of our parents who were in good health and had the means to travel did make an effort to see us. My dad and my wife’s dad both visited us while we were stationed in Germany.

What my grandchildren have

Let me begin with one of the few references to grandparents in the Bible.

In Paul’s second epistle to Timothy, Paul acknowledges the strong spiritual influence of Timothy’s grandmother: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Tim. 1:5).

Even though my wife and I as well as our children did not have godly grandparents to love us unconditionally and teach us God’s truth like Timothy did, I can say in all humility that our grandchildren do.

I can also honestly say that my wife and I have known each of our grandchildren from Day One. As a result of our consistent pursuit of deep relationships with these precious children, we are close to them. They know we love them. We have begun to fill large treasure chests of special memories. We pray for them by name and go to church with them. We have laid a foundation of a lifetime of influence.

Also, we see our grandchildren more much than we saw our grandparents or our kids saw their grandparents. It takes some time and money to drive several hours to see our three grandchildren to the northeast and the other two to the northwest, but it is so worth it. We make it a habit to visit at least twice a year. They usually come here to see us at about the same frequency. We have spent many holidays with them. We had a great family reunion last summer and have one planned next month.

What will be passed down to future generations?

Only by God’s grace, mercy, and life-changing transformation, I know that my first generation Christian family, which began on our wedding day nearly 44 years ago, is going to impact many generations to come.

My wife and I taught our kids biblical principles in a way that is different than many other Christian families, but it worked for us. We did not have regular family devotions. We did not home-school our children. What we did do was to simply live out our Christian faith openly by our transformed thoughts, words, and actions every day. We read the Bible and prayed for and with our children. We spoke the truth in love. My wife liked to take advantage of teachable moments when driving in the car. In doing all of these things, we demonstrated how to live as a Christian.

Moreover, we showed them what it takes to be a Christian husband and wife. They saw my wife and I be loving parents. They are learning how to be grandparents by watching us now. As a result, five generations will be directly impacted by God’s grace over our family. Following Jesus changed me, my wife, and our kids. Our kids are teaching their kids. This third generation knows what a Christian husband or wife, parent, and grandparent looks like. Thus, we will have influenced our grandchildren’s grandchildren. They will never meet us, but God has already blessed them.

Final thoughts

We read in James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” I am extremely grateful for the gift of being a Christian husband, father, and grandfather because I know the source of these blessings.

If you have been blessed with some or all of these roles, I encourage you to keep on seeking your heavenly Father, who gives us all the love we need to fulfill our responsibilities to our spouses, children, and grandchildren through our being transformed into new creatures through faith in Jesus. Through Him, we have been reconciled to God the Father, so that we can not only have peace with Him, but with our loved ones as well. This faith that changes us will impact generations.

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 43 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is passionate about helping his brothers and sisters in Christ with ordinary jobs understand that their work matters to God and that they can experience His presence at work every day.

What my Kids and Grandkids Have That I Didn’t Have (Part 1)

(Note: This is Part 1 of a two-part article on a topic that is near and dear to my heart.)

Once in a while, especially on Father’s Day, it will hit me how much God the Father has blessed me as a husband, father, and grandfather. God has enabled me to function in these callings, despite the fact that I did not have a good role model for any of them. By the grace of God, I was saved at the age of 17, which radically changed the trajectory of my life. It gave me an opportunity to succeed in each of these callings. (Click here to read my testimony of how I became a Christian.)

It also occurs to me that as a result of the new life in Christ that I have had for nearly 50 years, I have a completely different relationship with my three adult children than I had with my own father. I also have a much different kind of relationship with my grandchildren than I did with my two grandmothers. (My dad’s dad passed away when he was in college and my mom’s dad passed away when I was very young.) It is much better than what my children had with their grandparents as well.

Let me contrast some of those differences between what I experienced growing up with my own parents and what my kids and grandkids have had. I don’t want to put the focus on what I or  others have done, but on the radical transformation my wife and I had seen over many years of walking by faith as Christians. God has brought abundant and eternal life to members of my own family and beyond.

Key elements of Christian conversion

Before I reflect on my experiences with these core relationships, let me describe a few of the irreversible transformations that take place when a person comes to faith in Christ and how that impacts how they parent.

One of the first things that happens to a person when they become a Christian is that they begin to think more about others than they think about themselves. (See Phil. 2:3-4.) Humility is one of the key attributes of Jesus. Although He was equal in essence to God the Father, He humbled Himself and became a human being to be our high priest (Phil. 2:5-8). Learning to have a servant spirit is critical to become a faithful husband or wife, father or mother, and grandparent.

A second key element of the transformation that occurs in a new Christian’s life is that we learn how to love unconditionally. The Apostle John teaches, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). God’s love will flow through us to others.

A third change revolves around the fruit of the Spirit. (See Gal. 5:22-23.) These nine character traits develop over the course of a Christian’s life. We become more like Jesus through the process of sanctification. In addition to love, which we already mentioned, transformed words, thoughts, and actions that express joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control will positively impact a parent’s relationships with their children.

What I did not have with my parents

My wife and I were not raised in a Christian home. Our moms and dads did not live or speak like those who had a personal relationship with God through faith in Christ. Nonetheless, both of us were taken to church regularly and brought up with solid values taught by responsible parents.

However, parents who intentionally walk according to God’s ways will have more success that those who choose to follow the “wisdom” of the world, which often amounts to foolishness. Parents who know nothing of God’s love cannot love their child properly in the way God intends. If they do not know Jesus, they cannot teach their children the kind of truth that will set them free. (See John 8:32.)

My wife’s parents and mine got divorced when we were both in our teens. The insecurity that children from a broken home experience cannot be overstated. It breeds anxiety, fear, and hopelessness. The consequences increase over time. For example, the adult siblings have no home to go to during the holidays. They have no role model to see how husbands and wives navigate midlife and beyond.  

What my children had with their parents

The kind of homes my wife and I had growing up were defined by anger, adultery, and alcoholism. In contrast, only by the grace of God, we saw none of those sins passed on to the next generation. I cannot say that we were perfect; far from it. The difference was that the sins that crept into our home by two sinners saved by grace were dealt with through confession, repentance, and forgiveness.

Our transformed lives brought God’s love and truth into the picture from Day One at our Christ-centered wedding. We knew that we could not just do the opposite of what our parents did, although that was a good place to start. We had to intentionally seek God’s truth in the Bible and obey what it taught about what husbands, wives, and parents must do. (See Eph. 5:22-33, 6:4, and Col. 3:18-19, 21.)

Once again, only by the grace of God, our three children (as well as their children) have seen a marriage based on our Christian faith. They knew that our marriage was solid, which gave them security and hope that a happy marriage was possible. There was peace in our home. They observed how to be a Christian husband and wife. They learned how to be loving parents. In this last phase of our marriage, they are learning how to be grandparents. The grandchildren are also learning these roles.

Closing reflections

As I look back on my own family’s experiences, you may have reflected on your own. So many people come from broken, dysfunctional, or even abusive families. I also know that God is in the business of restoring what is broken and can heal wounded hearts. He is a father to the fatherless. (See Ps. 68:5.)

“My Father’s Chair,” a song written by Christian artist David Meece contrasts the pain of growing up with a neglectful father with how God transformed his own family through faith in Jesus. Reflecting on a tender moment when his own kids needed some comfort, he sings, “Holding them close, calming their fears, praying they always will say, ‘My father’s chair sits in a loving room . . . though all the years and all the tears I need not fear. Love’s always there in my father’s chair.’”

When God gets hold of a family, those generational curses or chains that bound you can be reversed. When there was once hate, God can teach you to love like He does. When there was fear, God can bring peace and gentleness between you and your kids. If this sounds like something you want to pursue, I urge you to see a professional Christian counselor who will not only listen, but will offer timeless words of wisdom and truth that can bring lasting change to you and your family.

(Note: In my next article, I will contrast the experiences I and my children had with our respective grandparents with what our grandchildren have now.)

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 43 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is passionate about helping his brothers and sisters in Christ with ordinary jobs understand that their work matters to God and that they can experience His presence at work every day.

I Have Known You Since Day One

(Note: This article was published on the Christian Grandfather Magazine.)

A friend recently challenged me to strongly consider writing more about my experiences as a Christian grandfather and father in order to help others. I have to admit, it was hard to hear that for two reasons.

First, I already have several articles in various stages of completion. I have over two dozen proposed articles on theology of work projects listed on my spreadsheet. I want to make some progress on a special one that I am writing about God’s goodness during our recent move and try to finish another one.

Second, I am not confident I have been all that deliberate with teaching my children or grandchildren spiritual things like how to read the Bible or how to pray. I’ve prayed for them and with them. I have looked for teachable moments and have sown seeds. I have tried to speak their love language. I am not sure I did that much with my own kids, figuring that they would learn best by watching my example. Children often learn best by what is caught, rather than what is taught.

However, I do take my role as patriarch of this first-generation Christian family very seriously. I have a whole lot to share after 41 years of marriage, 37 years as a parent, and seven years as a grandfather.

For my first reflection that I have written as the Lord leads, let me focus on something I have thought about and said numerous times. I may be the only one to have ever given so much thought to this deep and personal concept. Maybe it might help someone else.

Being there on time

One of the things that I am most grateful for is that I have been blessed to meet each of my five grandchildren on Day One; i.e., within 24 hours of their birth. In some cases, it has been on their actual birthday, but sometimes the next day. This means a lot to me now and will be useful in the future. 

I realize and respect that many new mothers would not want their parents or parents-in-law to visit their new grandchild right away, but I am glad that our daughter and son’s wife were open to that. My wife and I have been fortunate to have been able to travel the eight hours to Milwaukee and four hours to Kansas City in order to make it there on time to meet them. Let me describe what I remember.

With our first grandson, we got the call that our daughter was in labor in the early morning hours. We were able to hit the road a couple of hours later and arrived about dinner time. It was so surreal to meet the first-born child of our first born child. Our girl was a now a mom and we were grandparents.

In the case of the second one, we had to relieve our daughter’s friends who volunteered to watch their firstborn son until we arrived. For our daughter’s third child, she arranged for my wife to come just before Mother’s Day and stay as long as needed. When I got the call that labor had begun, I made plane reservations, flew out of St. Louis, and arrived just in time to eat and put the boys to bed. Early the next morning, my wife and I brought them to the hospital to meet our beautiful granddaughter.

Our son’s first son was born in the Kansas City area. Despite the fact that he was born on the same day that I had a prostate biopsy, we were able to make it up to the hospital just before visiting hours ended. Before their second one was born, just like our daughter had done, our son had asked us to take care of big brother at their home. We got to see the new little guy the next morning while it was still day one.

It is worth mentioning that this is not a practice that I carried down from previous generations. My wife and I did not have Christian grandparents, nor did our children. We have just done what we’ve always done in our marriage and parenting. By the grace of God, we just made it up as we went along. I am grateful we could do this for them. My hope is that it will continue with others when they are born.

Being known and loved

So, why is this so significant? What impact on these kids have I seen or hope to see down the road?

It has brought me immeasurable joy to hold my five grandchildren on their very first day of life. Each time I saw them I was reminded of how David described himself in Ps. 139:14; they were fearfully and wonderfully made. They were tiny miracles. To help celebrate, I wrote each of their names and year of birth in the margin of my Bible next to Prov. 17:6, “Children’s children are a crown to the aged.”

The birthday is only the beginning of a lifelong relationship. We had to keep the momentum going.

Over the past few years, we get to see the grandchildren three or four times a year, sometimes more. We usually go up on Easter weekend. On Columbus Day weekend in the fall, we pick apples. They  come down to see us in Missouri for a few days in the summer and for a holiday or two. My daughter recently dropped her three kids at our house to watch them for four days while she was out of state. We have made similar trips several times a year up to Kansas City to see our sons boys, although it has not been quite as predictable.

The long stretch between visits used to be a major concern. Would they still remember us?  Somehow they did. Even when the kids were babies who hadn’t seen our faces for several months, there would be a flicker of recognition in their eyes. When they heard our voices, they would give us a big smile.

I have said I have known them since day one to most of them a few times. I understand that at their age they have absolutely no idea what that means. I may remember that day, but they certainly do not. I say it as a way of expressing to them my unconditional love and commitment. I have been there, not very often, but I have been part of their lives from the beginning. I plan to be there for them as long as I can.

These words probably won’t be of much use or fully appreciated by them until they are teenagers. This is what I envision may happen. When they are not getting along with their parents, I want to be able to come alongside them and remind them why they can trust me. “I’ve known you since Day One.” I anticipate that I will use this line often throughout their lives to get them to open up so that I can help.

I think there is a great deal of divinely-designed security in having a family and an extended family who sticks together and is truly present for each other. It communicates to the child that they are seen, they are valued, they are cared for, they have a hopeful future, and that they will never be alone.

Being known and loved by God

I think that I have shared a lot of deep thoughts. Maybe there is more to say. I see a parallel between how I have felt towards my children and grandchildren and the way God feels towards His children.

God said something similar but even better to the prophet Jeremiah than what I have said to my grands. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jer. 1:5). As creator, God knew him before day one.

Furthermore, God has said the same to those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ, “I have known you before day one.” Day one was when He created the world. Before creation, long before they were born, God determined they would be His children. The Apostle Paul boldly states in Eph. 1:4-5, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”

Again, there is an incomprehensible security from understanding that our heavenly Father has known us our whole lives, accepts us in Christ, that He has been there, and always will be present with us. When we have no one else to turn to, He reminds us of these things so that we can trust Him to help.

My love for my children and grandchildren is strong, but I am weak. Even though I may have great intentions, I know that my influence on their lives will fall short. God is the one who will truly bring security, love, and hope, but only if they put their faith and trust in the Lord who has known them.

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 41 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of the book, Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is an ordinary man who is passionate about helping ordinary people experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work. Russ received a B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1980 and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is a former junior/senior high school math and science teacher and youth minister. He served 20 years on active duty. Russ works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Since 2015, he has written over 180 articles on faith and work topics. One hundred of these articles have been published on several Christian organization’s websites, including: the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, The Gospel Coalition, and Christian Grandfather Magazine. (See list of published articles on Linktree.)

Oh, the Places the Lord will Lead you to go!

(Note: This article was published on the Christian Grandfather Magazine.)

In late June, I had the opportunity to read a bedtime story to three of my grandchildren. The eldest grandson sat on my lap. He had asked me to read a Dr. Seuss classic, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

I started to read the book, and without any warning, I got totally choked up. Tears were streaming down my face. My grandson noticed it right away. He comforted me by gently putting his little hand on my cheek. I had to stop reading for a few seconds, catch my breath, and try my best to continue.

It may have been these words that grabbed my heart and caused a flood of emotion I could not control:

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You have to understand that over the past six years, he and I have developed a very close relationship. I have known him since day one. Here is what I was thinking as I was moved to tears at that moment.

My imagination flashed forward a dozen years, taking me unexpectedly to my grandson’s high school graduation. This book is often given to graduates as a gift. Perhaps he would receive it. It might be meaningful to him as he began his new adventure into adulthood. But I wasn’t thinking about him.

That night, as I held tight to this boy that I love so much, I was anticipating the grief that his mom and dad would feel at that moment, just as his grandparents grieved when their daughter, his mother, left the nest. Also, I will be 75 when he graduates. There is no guarantee that I will still be here to see him through. The uncertainty of what the future held for him overwhelmed me, as I continued reading this book.

A few days later, as I reflected on this event, it occurred to me that this well-intentioned message of adventure, freedom, responsibility, and hope for new graduates just might need to be told from a Christian perspective. I want my grandson, his brother and sister, and his cousins, regardless of whether I am there or not, to experience the greatest of adventures as they follow Jesus as their Lord.

Allow me to share several insights that I would want my grandchildren and other children of all ages to have. I want to give them a glimpse into the path of purpose they will have by discovering and living the Christian life: a journey of faith, characterized by God’s leading, wisdom, and abundance. These things are not true because I have experienced them. I have experienced them because they are true.

Discovering God’s leading

In Ps 139:10, we see David’s faith that God’s hand will guide him wherever he goes. God, speaking through David, promises that He will teach us in the way we should go and watch over us (Ps. 32:8).  

Even as a young Christian, I knew that God would lead me. I sought after Him every time that I had to make a big decision, like choosing a college major, how to proceed in a dating relationship, or finding just the right job. I trust that my grandchildren will also seek God’s face first and look to Him for guidance whenever they need it.

Finding God’s wisdom

Wisdom is living out God’s truths, walking in His ways. In the context of suffering and the testing of our faith in Christ, James 1:5 promises that God will provide His wisdom to all who ask in faith. 

I can speak from experience here. There was suffering in the form of persecution from the world that I faced as a Christian college student at a large public university. I encountered spiritual attacks from Satan that bombarded me on occasion and temptations from my own flesh.  I lost girlfriends, jobs, and family members.

As I prayed for discernment on how to navigate these rough waters, I always received the wisdom I needed from the Lord at just the right time. When I chose to walk in the path of righteousness, I generally made good decisions. I am hoping my grandchildren will be able to confidently, consistently, and wisely walk with God as well.

Living the abundant life

Jesus gives an amazing promise in John 10:10. In the context of his teaching on the shepherd and His flock, Jesus explains that He is the faithful and loving shepherd who calls his sheep by name and leads them. The sheep follow him because they trust him. He will lay down his life for those sheep. Their enemies may try to steal, kill, and destroy, but he has come that they may have life more abundantly.

I have experienced that abundant life ever since I became a Christian. God has been my shepherd. I have consistently sensed His presence. He has protected me and provided for me above and beyond all I could hope or expect. He has given me strength to overcome. He has given me true freedom, joy, and peace. My hope for my grandchildren is they too would experience this amazing abundant life for themselves.

Relating to God’s Son

In closing, let me reflect on the Apostle Paul’s prayer found in Eph. 1:16-20. He describes his prayers for the church, but it is an excellent model for parents and grandparents in praying daily for their kids.

Paul starts with an acknowledgement of their faith in Jesus Christ. If they don’t have that, the rest of the prayer is useless. I have to dedicate myself to praying for the salvation of my grandchildren.

Next, Paul writes that he never stops giving thanks for them. He asks God to give them His Spirit so that they can know Him better. He asks God to open the eyes of those he prays for and that they will know the hope to which they were called, the riches of their inheritance, and God’s matchless power.

These are the things that I need to pray for so that my grandchildren can believe, know, and experience God’s truths and live out the abundant Christian life for themselves. I encourage you to do the same.

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 40 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is an ordinary man who is passionate about helping other ordinary people experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work. He received a B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1980 and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is a former junior/senior high school math and science teacher and youth pastor. After serving 20 years on active duty, Russ now works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Seventy articles that he wrote have been posted or published 130 times on numerous Christian organization’s websites, including: the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, 4Word Women, Acton Institute, and The Gospel Coalition.

The Eternal Impact of Godly Parents and Grandparents

(Note: This article was published on the Christian Grandfather Magazine.)

Last weekend, all of our adult children and grandchildren came home.  It was a joyful family reunion.  I was filled with gratitude as I saw everyone together for the first time in nearly three years.  I rejoice that God has clearly blessed these three generations over the past forty-five years with His mercy and grace.

Allow me expand on a conversation my wife and I had a few weeks ago as we anticipated this visit on the eternal impact that we have had, are having, and will have on our children and grandchildren.

Looking backward

So, here’s our story.  My wife and I are a first-generation Christian family.  We were both raised in families hit by divorce.  We both grew up going to church; however, we were not Christian families.

Our three children are married.  Two of them have children of their own.  By the grace of God, our children have turned out to be compassionate, responsible, talented, and hard-working adults. 

Just as my wife and I figured out only by the grace of God how to function as a Christ-centered couple and grew in wisdom, faith, and love to become Christian parents, we have been learning how to be Christian grandparents.  The past six years have been an absolutely amazing adventure for us! 

My wife and I taught our kids what it meant to have a Christian marriage by obeying what God’s Word said that husbands and wives were supposed to do.  We also showed our kids how to raise a Christian family by following God’s blueprint.  We worked hard to be the Christian grandparents we never had and that our own children did not have, demonstrating how to be godly grandparents someday.  As we have taught our children how to have a Christian marriage, how to be godly parents, and how to be godly grandparents, we have also displayed to our growing grandchildren these same skills. 

Looking forward

So, what is the eternal impact of our discipleship efforts as I look towards the future?

Taking it much further out into the future, we find ourselves directly influencing each one of our five grandchildren.  We are intentionally giving them tools they will need to help them be godly husbands or wives, parents, and grandparents, should they choose to follow Jesus when they get old enough.

Because my wife and I came to faith in Christ while we were in high school, God radically changed one generation.  Through my wife and I, God was glorified to a second generation, and now a third. 

Our grandchildren will have some children of their own (our children’s grandchildren), which means that our ministry in their lives will directly impact a fourth generation.  They will be grandparents someday, which means that God will have reached five generations through two of His children.

Looking at Scripture

Here are some key verses that specifically address our faith as it is passed to the next generation.

The first verse that comes to my mind is 2 Tim. 1:5.  This is a beautiful picture of the faith of Timothy’s grandmother, who passed her faith on to Timothy’s mother, and to Timothy as well.

Moses explained to the Israelites as they were about to enter the promised land in Deut. 6:1-2 that they were to teach their children and grandchildren God’s laws so that they would fear the Lord.

Another passage that has deeply touched me is found in Ps. 78:1-7.  Listen to this:

My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.  I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.  We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.  He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors 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.  Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.  [Italics mine.]

This is something that my wife and I have done as parents and grandparents.  We have attempted to show how the Bible applies to every slice of life.  We have reminded them of who and where God is.

There is also a promise found in Ps. 103:17, which states, “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.”

Here is one more, from Ps. 145:4 that is applicable: “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.”

Proverbs 17:6 is another verse on this particular topic that is near and dear to my heart.  It states that “children’s children are a crown to the aged.”  In the margin right next to this verse, I have lovingly and ceremoniously written the names of each of my five grandchildren and the year they were born.

Looking inward

Is your Christian faith going to have an eternal impact on five or more generations?  Oh, I do believe that it will!

Rest in God’s promises and trust Him.  Your heavenly Father will work in the hearts of your children and grandchildren, in spite of all the mistakes you made as human fathers and mothers.  Unlike us, God has no grandchildren; only children.  By His Spirit, He will draw them to faith in Jesus Christ.  Your role, as God’s coworker in this process, is to love each of them unconditionally from day one. 

(Note: I invite you to read a series of articles I wrote a few years ago on raising adult children.)

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 40 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is an ordinary man who is passionate about helping other ordinary people experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work. He received a B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1980 and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is a former junior/senior high school math and science teacher and youth pastor. After serving 20 years on active duty, Russ now works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. More than 60 articles posted on this blog have been published over 120 times on numerous Christian organization’s websites, including: the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, 4Word Women, Acton Institute, and The Gospel Coalition.