Tag: Loving our Grand Parents

Serving God and Blessing Neighbors, Should be a Family Affair. Psalm 128

Psalm 128 Amplified Bible

Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.

A Song of [a]Ascents.

128 Blessed [happy and sheltered by God’s favor] is everyone who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience],
Who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments.
2 
For you shall eat the fruit of [the labor of] your hands,
You will be happy and blessed and it will be well with you.
3 
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
Within the innermost part of your house;
Your children will be like olive plants
Around your table.
4 
Behold, for so shall the man be blessed and divinely favored
Who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience].

5 
May the Lord bless you from Zion [His holy mountain],
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;
6 
Indeed, may you see your [family perpetuated in your] children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

Psalm 128 tells us, “Blessed are all who fear the Lord.”

And then it uses the picture of an ideal family to teach us about that blessing.

The ideal family in Psalm 128 is similar to the ideal man in Psalm 1, the ideal wife in Proverbs 31, and ideal love as described in 1 Corinthians 13.

We sometimes read these passages and are tempted to say, “Get real!

That’s not the way life is.”

Well, perhaps nowadays that is stating a more contemporary truth, it may not be the way life is, but these passages tell us it is the way life can be – with God!

In other words these passages of the ideal man, the ideal wife, the ideal family with the ideal children and with the ideal love are not meant to discourage us as being unachievable, unrealistic, but rather to inspire us to greater possibilities.

And so Psalm 128 paints the picture of a happy home and presents the home as the center of God’s blessing.

Who doesn’t want a happy home?

Happy and God-fearing, God Loving, God Serving, Neighbor Serving Homes and Serving communities too are, according to Psalm 128 an essential part of edifying, building up God’s kingdom right where we are, here on our earth.

So let’s get into the Psalm now.

Psalm 128 breaks into two main parts.

The first part is a statement of blessing.

The second part is a prayer of blessing.

I. Blessed are all who fear the Lord (1-4)

Psalm 128:1-4 English Standard Version

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

128 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
    who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
    who fears the Lord.

Let’s take a look at the statement of blessing first in verses 1-4:

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.

2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.

4 Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.” (Psalm 128:1)

The psalmist begins by stating the theme of the psalm: “Blessed are all who fear the Lord.”

To fear the Lord does not mean to be afraid of God so we run away from him.

Rather it means to be in awe of God’s majesty so that you approach him with great reverence and respect.

It means you take God seriously, and you put him first in your life.

After stating the theme, the psalmist then further defines it: those who fear the Lord are those who walk in God’s ways.

In other words a right attitude towards God leads to right actions in your life. Jesus said something similar in John 14:21:

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (John 14:21)

God has laid out his ways for us in his Word.

Do you and I want to understand how life works?

Then we read the instructions!

God has laid it all out for you in His Word.

John Phillips calls this the center and the circumference.

First put God at the center of our life.

That’s the fear of the Lord.

And then let God’s law mark the circumference of our life.

Let God’s Word mark the limits of what we will and will not do.

And if you do that, if you put God at the center of our life and make his law the circumference of our life, then God will take care of everything else in between.

You and I will be blessed by God in all that you and I do.

The word blessed means happy.

In fact in the Hebrew the word is in the plural, so you could even translate it, “Happy, happy!” True happiness, Real happiness in life is found only in those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

As Charles Spurgeon says: “We must reverence the ever-blessed God before we can be blessed ourselves.”

This blessing from God is not for everyone, but only for a certain subset of people: those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

However, although God’s blessing is not for everyone, it is for everyone within that subset.

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord.”

There are no exceptions here.

If you will fear God in your life and walk in his ways, you will be blessed.

Psalm 128 gives us the example of a father and husband in the following verses, but verse one tells us up front that this psalm applies to us all who fear the Lord.

So whether you are male or female, married or single, with or without children, know this blessed truth – blessed are all who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

We find this truth confirmed for us in other Scriptures as well.

For example compare the opening verses of two other wisdom psalms:

Psalm 1 and Psalm 119.

Psalm 1 says: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3)

Psalm 119 says: “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” (Psalm 119:1-2)

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways”

This is the foundation on which to build a family life that is blessed by God.

A. God will bless your work.

And then Psalm 128 goes on to share specific examples of the ways God will bless you as you fear him and walk in his ways.

First of all, God will bless your work and your service.

Look at verse 2: “You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.” (Psalm 128:2)

This does not necessarily mean we will become wealthy or rich, but rather we will find fulfillment in our work and that our work will provide for our needs.

God’s promise to bless our work is especially striking when we recall God put a curse upon human work and labor after Adam and Eve sinned back in Genesis.

Too often in life we work hard but we still don’t seem to be getting anywhere.

Is it because we are not fearing God and walking in his ways?

It is certainly something to consider.

The prophet Haggai in the Old Testament warned the Jews who returned to Jerusalem:

“Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” (Haggai 1:5-6)

The Jews were working hard but not getting anywhere.

That is the opposite of the blessing God offers to those who fear him and walk in his ways.

God wants you and me to enjoy the fruit of our work.

That was his plan from the start.

We read in Genesis 2:15: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Genesis 2:15)

Before Adam and Eve sinned they worked the garden and knew God’s blessing on their work.

It was good work with good rewards.

Psalm 127 English Standard Version

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children[a] of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.[b]

Psalm 127, without God work becomes toil.

We will not find true blessing or satisfaction in your work apart from God.

As Ecclesiastes 2 says: “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)

B. God will bless your marriage.

So first of all, God will bless your work.

Secondly, he will bless your marriage.

Look at verse 3: “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house.” (Psalm 128:3a)

This speaks of both fruitfulness and faithfulness.

The vine is a picture of fruitfulness.

Remember God’s initial blessing on Adam and Eve when he first created them? 

Genesis 1:28 says: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’” (Genesis 1:28)

God’s blessing is related to productivity and fruitfulness.

And this doesn’t just mean bearing children, but it means having a full and productive life.

The picture here is of a beautiful vine that is thriving, flourishing, fruitful and productive.

And then there is faithfulness.

The fact that the vine is “within the house” speaks of faithfulness in marriage.

This is in contrast to the adulterous wife described in Proverbs 7 who is never at home: “She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.” (Proverbs 7:11-12)

What’s the sign of a happy marriage? Fruitfulness and faithfulness. Who could ask for anything more?

Marriage is one of God’s great blessings in life. 

Proverbs 18:22 says: “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”

(Proverbs 18:22) We could also turn that around and say: “She who finds a husband also finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”

Marriage is a blessing from God, but God also wants to bless your marriage.

Husbands and wives, how you live your life has a huge impact on whether you will know God’s blessing in your marriage.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

C. God will bless your family.

God will bless your work.

God will bless your marriage.

And then thirdly, God will bless your family.

Look at verse 3 again: “Your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.” (Psalm 128:3b)

The olive tree is a basic part of agriculture in Israel.

In the Bible it is also a picture of productivity and blessing.

For example we read in Isaiah 52:8: “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.” (Isaiah 52:8)

Images of olive shoots around the table is the picture of a mature, established olive tree with young shoots springing up out of the soil all around it.

This was a common sight in Israel.

The olive shoots represent youth and energy and, above all, promise.

When you sit down to eat with your family, your children are the hope and promise of the future sitting around your table. 

Psalm 144:12 offers a similar image when it says:

“Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.” (Psalm 144:12)

The olive is a slow growing tree.

It can take ten to fifteen years before it bears any fruit, but once established the olive tree needs little maintenance or supervision, and it will produce fruit for decades to come.

It’s the same way with your children.

It will take some time before they grow to independence and maturity.

As parents we need to be patient with our children as we raise them in the training and instruction of the Lord.

But all our discipline and training will pay off. 

Proverbs 22:6 tells us: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

I love that Psalm 128 uses the image of the table for the family.

The family table or mealtime is especially important for us as families.

It’s where the family gathers together and shares about their day, where stories and experiences and values are passed on.

It seems it’s getting harder and harder for families to get together even for a few meals a week these days.

I would encourage you, no matter what the age of your children, no matter what the makeup of your home, carve out the time in your schedules and make family mealtime a priority in your home.

This first section of Psalm 128 paints a beautiful picture for us.

A godly husband, a faithful wife and eager children full of promise – all this is a great sign of God’s blessing in the home.

Once again, what more can we ask than God’s blessing on us and those we love?

Notice this first section of Psalm 128 highlights God’s blessing on our work, our marriage and our family.

All three of these were God’s provision for us in creation.

All three of these were also cursed by God following our fall into sin.

But now here in Psalm 128 we see God reverse the curse and bring blessing in all three of these areas when you fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

These verses do not mean that God grants marriage and family to all, but rather this is one of ways he blesses the godly.

“Make [God] your home, and He will make your home a happy home.” 

Psalm 128:4 says: “Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.” (Psalm 128:4)

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

II. A prayer of blessing for those who fear the Lord (5-6a)

The first part of Psalm 128 is a statement of blessing for those who fear the Lord.

The second part is a prayer of blessing for those who fear the Lord.

Look at verses 5-6 with me now: “May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem. And may you live to see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.” (Psalm 128:5-6)

The first part of Psalm 128 presents God’s blessing as his reward for those who fear him, but this second part reminds us that God’s blessing is not automatic.

We do not earn it from our obedience.

Even God’s rewards are all gifts of his grace.

God’s blessing must be received as a gift from God.

And we receive things by asking for them in prayer.

A. May God bless you all the days of your life.

There are three parts to this prayer of blessing.

First of all, may God bless you all the days of your life.

Verse 5: “May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life.” (Psalm 128:5a)

This is a prayer of blessing not just for a time or a season, but for the duration of your life.

It picks up the language of Psalm 23 which says: “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

God is the source of all blessing, and this prayer is a reminder that every blessing comes from God

Notice the psalmist prays for the Lord to bless you “from Zion.”

Once again Zion is the place where God dwells.

It is the place where God meets with his people.

Blessing in your life comes as you meet daily with the Lord in his presence.

Psalm 48:1 says: “Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God [that is, Jerusalem], his holy mountain [that is, Mount Zion].” (Psalm 48:1)

It was a blessing for the Jews to be in Zion for the feasts, but Psalm 128 asks for God to bless you from Zion all the days of your life.

It’s a peek ahead to the very last psalm of triumph in the Psalms of Ascent –

Psalm 134 which says: “May the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.” (Psalm 134:3)

For God to bless you from Zion means that God’s blessing extends to you wherever you go.

This is fulfilled in the gift of the Holy Spirit for the believer today.

As Jesus said in John 14: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:16-17)

God the Father and God the Son are present with you through God the Spirit at all times wherever you go.

B. May God bless you within the community of his people.

So first of all, may God bless you all the days of your life.

And then secondly, may God bless you within the community of his people.

We see this in the second half of verse 5: “May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 128:5b)

God is not only concerned with individuals.

He is concerned for all his people.

And therefore so should we.

One of the greatest blessings for the believer is to see all of God’s people prosper.

The church is bigger than you, and God’s blessing on the church is your blessing as well.

This part of the prayer looks back to Psalm 122 and its particular focus on the gathering of God’s people.

We read in Psalm 122:

Psalm 122:6-9 English Standard Version

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
7 Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”
8 For my brothers and companions’ sake
    I will say, “Peace be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your good.

This is not only a prayer for Israel and Jerusalem.

We need to be praying for Israel and Jerusalem, but it is also a prayer for all of God’s people – it’s a prayer for the well-being of God’s church.

Psalm 122 was the first of the psalms of triumph in the Psalms of Ascent.

Psalm 128 is the middle of the psalms of triumph.

We see how Psalm 128 looks ahead to Psalm 134 which is the last of the psalms of triumph.

And so this middle psalm of triumph looks back to the first psalm of triumph in Psalm 122 and also looks forward to the last psalm of triumph in Psalm 134.

C. May God bless you with a long and fulfilling life.

May God bless you all the days of your life.

May God bless you within the community of his people.

And then thirdly, may God bless you with a long and fulfilling life.

Look at verse 6 now which says: “. . . and may you live to see your children’s children.” (Psalm 128:6a)

In the fifth commandment God promised a long life and a good life to those who honor their mother and father.

Now here in Psalm 128 the blessings of the fifth commandment are applied to all those who fear the Lord.

These prayers of blessing for those who fear the Lord not only stretch outward to the community of God’s people but also onward towards future generations of children.

Verse 6 is a prayer both for long life and the continuation of your family.

This is part of God’s blessing or reward for those who fear him. 

Proverbs 10:27 says: “The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.” (Proverbs 10:27) 

Proverbs 17:6 says: “Children’s children are a crown to the aged.” (Proverbs 17:6)

Many of you know the blessings of having grandchildren.

Psalm 128 reminds you that they are God’s blessing on your life!

So make sure you tell others not just “I love my grandchildren!” but also, “I thank God he has blessed me with my grandchildren.

I thank God that he has blessed me with length of life to see and know my children’s children.”

Also make sure that you pass on your faith to your children and grandchildren.

The apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:5: “I have been 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 Timothy 1:5)

What a rich blessing you leave for your children and grandchildren when you live a godly life in fear of the Lord!

What a blessing to pass on a godly heritage to your children’s children!

Proverbs 22:4 says: “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4)

And so we find this beautiful prayer of blessing in Psalm 128 for those who fear the Lord.

May God bless you all the days of your life.

May God bless you within the community of his people.

May God bless you with a long and fulfilling life that you may live to see your children’s children.

In Conclusion … Our Actions Will Speak Louder Than Our Words

Psalm 128 is a beautiful psalm that speaks of God’s blessing on all those who fear the Lord, and it describes this blessing in terms of the ideal family.

You might be wondering this day or season, “That’s all well and good, but what if I don’t have an ideal family?”

Well, first of all, welcome to the club!

But secondly, in holding up the ideal family, the psalm points beyond our broken, sinful families here on earth to the beauty and perfection of God’s family in heaven.

None of us have a perfect family here on earth, but we will all experience the blessing of an ideal family in heaven.

God may or may not bless you with marriage or children in this life.

But either way the promise of this psalm remains.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord. God has promised to bless all those who fear him and walk in his ways.

When you long for the same things God longs for, you will see you desires fulfilled.

Psalm 128 teaches us that there is a direct relationship between your attitudes and actions and God’s blessing in your life.

God’s blessing is available to everyone.

You can choose to either welcome God’s blessing in your life or you can choose to chase it away – it all comes down to fearing the Lord and walking in His ways.

Psalm 128 teaches us that how you live your life matters, both for you and for so many other people in your life.

There is a ripple effect in each of our lives that flows outward.

Your attitude and actions have an impact not only on your personal life, but also on your family, on your community and on future generations.

Psalm 128 teaches us that the influence of the godly person is great, that God’s blessing flows outward from the individual, to your family, to your church, to the whole people of God.

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ became a curse for us, so that we might receive the blessing of God. (Galatians 3:13-14)

Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

He took the penalty that was due us.

He took the curse of God for sin upon his own flesh.

He paid it in full so that we could come and know God’s blessing.

So don’t miss out on God’s blessing!

Fear God and walk in his ways that you may know the fullness of God’s blessing in your life.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Heavenly Father, You are my God and my Savior. Thank You for your free gift of grace, which I receive by faith. Thank you for my family. May we reverence Your name forever and walk in Your ways all the days of our lives. All our blessings are permanently rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus my Lord, in Whose name I pray.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen

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Living our Life and Honoring Our God, Living Our Life, Respecting, Honoring Generations of our Families, Honoring and Respecting Our Grand Parents. Proverbs 17:6

Proverbs 17:6Amplified Bible

6 
Grandchildren are the crown of aged men,
And the glory of children is their fathers [who live godly lives].

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

What our Grand parents are to us …

“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. Most importantly, milk and cookies and plenty of Ice Cream.”

“A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart.”—Anonymous

If nothing is going well, call your grandmother. —Italian Proverb

“When Grand Ma smiles, the lines in her face become epic narratives that trace the stories of generations that no book can replace.” Anonymous

To a small child, the perfect granddad is unafraid of big dogs and fierce storms but absolutely terrified of the word “boo.” Anonymous

I still remember the simple lessons taught to me by my grandmother Lou. She taught me how special I was simply by telling me what a coconut looked like.

The time she spent with me, and the things she passed on with her simple, yet gentle words, pats upon my head, are still invaluable treasures that I cherish.

Throughout history, grandparents have played a central role in the lives of their children and grandchildren.

There is even a Grandparents Day the first Sunday after Labor day, put into its place by President Carter in 1978, to genuinely celebrate how important the contribution and impact our grandparents make to families, communities.

Today, let’s give honor where honor is long overdue, to take a few moments to stop and reflect on the value of grandparents—past or present and future.

Let’s dive into a few Scriptures that offer beautiful words of affirmation about the aged—timely words that show just how important grandparents truly are.

Does the Bible say anything about Honoring Our Grandparents?

When most of the books of the Bible were written, parents and grandparents held positions of high honor in the life of the family and of the community.

Children were expected to revere their elders and learn from them.

When God introduced the Law to the Israelite nation, He even included a commandment to “honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12).

God also made it part of His Law that the younger person should stand in the presence of the elderly as a sign of respect (Leviticus 19:32).

Implied within this command is a multi-generational attitude of respect and honor toward a family and communities senior relatives.

As children observed their parents honoring the grandparents, they, in turn, at some point in life, would shoulder that responsibility when their time came.

Proverbs 17:6 says that “children’s children are the crown of old people.”

Every grandparent understands that comparison.

There is a special kind of bond between a grandparent and a grandchild that benefits both.

Someone has humorously stated that “grandchildren are God’s reward for not killing your own children when they were teenagers.”

Humor aside, there is some truth to that.

Grandchildren, like children, are a reward—a blessing from the Lord and one way that He is good to us (Psalm 127:3).

“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.” – Proverbs 17:6

What a picture of God’s design for the good of families.

Think about it.

There’s three generations here.

You have got grandparents, parents, and children.

All of us fit into this spectrum in some sense.

We all are children with parents.

We all are grandchildren.

Some of us are parents or step parents of children who pray about being blessed with Grand Children, perhaps even Great Grand Children.

Some are grandparents with grandchildren.

This Proverb Calls Us to Honor Generations of Our Families

And the picture here is ABBA Father God has designed our lives to honor and respect our own parents and our grandparents.

God has designed our lives as parents and grandparents to be glorified in the way we love and raise our children, in the very way we love our grandchildren.

So, as we see these three generations, I just want to encourage you to think about life and think about how you can honor your parents, even just to thank God for them, to pray for them, and grand and great grand parents, as well.

How can you honor them?

How can you pray for them?

I think in my own life, none of my grandparents are living.

My mom and my dad have long gone to be the Lord.

So when it comes to these groups in my life, I think about my mom.

I thank God so much for my mom and my dad and their parents, and by God’s grace, for the legacy, blossoming revelation of faith, they’ve passed on to me.

I could go on and on and on far, far beyond the scope of this devotional just talking about God’s grace toward me.

God, I want to honor all generations of my parents, I’m so thankful for them.

Proverbs 17:6 Encourages Us to Glorify God in Our Families

And then I look the other way and think about my stepson.

I think about how precious he is, what a gift he is, and how much I pray for him.

I want to glorify God by loving him and caring for him well, and then I pray for his growing son.

So I pray for my grandson all the time.

I have no children of my own, but my sister does so I pray for her grandkids.

I pray that they would know God, they would love God, they would know God’s love for them and model God’s love for others.

So, just think about your life and where you are right now in the spectrum, whether you are single, married, a parent, or a grandparent, So I just pray.

1 Timothy 5:1-5 Common English Bible

Caring for God’s family

5 Don’t correct an older man, but encourage him like he’s your father; treat younger men like your brothers, 2 treat older women like your mother, and treat younger women like your sisters with appropriate respect.

3 Take care of widows who are truly needy. 4 But if a particular widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to respect their own family and repay their parents, because this pleases God. 5 A widow who is truly needy and all alone puts her hope in God and keeps on going with requests and prayers, night and day.

In the New Testament, the duty of an adult grandchild is made explicit:

“If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn to serve God by taking care of her, as she once took care of them. This is what God wants them to do” (1 Timothy 5:4, CEB).

So the honor shown to a grandparent in need is more than mere respect; it is taking practical steps to support the grandparent and doing whatever it takes to meet his or her needs.

Doing so is a natural part of honoring and serving and giving glory to the Lord.

Grand Parent Responsibility Towards Grand Children

Proverbs 13:22 Christian Standard Bible

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his[a] grandchildren,
but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Just as grandchildren have sacred obligations to love, honor, and assist their grandparents, so do grandparents have responsibilities toward their children’s children. 

Proverbs 13:22 says that “a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

Righteous people live wisely and pass on their wisdom, their knowledge, and their material blessings to their grandchildren.

In our day, it has become common for grandparents to have full custody of their grandchildren from the parents’ inability [drugs, alcohol, mental illness, legal issues] or their unwillingness to rear their own children.

While this is sad, it also demonstrates the unique love grandparents have that creates a willingness to begin the task of bringing up a child just when child-rearing was supposed to be finished.

Few retirees would volunteer for the emotional, financial, and physical burden of rearing children again, but, because they are grandparents, they’ll set aside their own desires for the needs of a grandchild.

Honoring and Respecting All Grand Parents?

The Bible gives examples of grandparents, and some of those grandparents were wicked: 

2 Kings 11 recounts the sad story of Athaliah, mother of King Ahaziah of Judah.

When Ahaziah died, the Queen Mother ordered the execution of all her royal family so that she could take the throne.

Unknown to her, one of Ahaziah’s sisters, Jehosheba, hid a baby grandson, Joash, in a bedroom so that he escaped his grandmother’s bloody rampage.

He and his nurse remained hidden in the temple for six years while his grandmother ruled Judah.

When Joash was seven years old, the high priest brought him out, anointed him, put the crown on his head, and proclaimed little Joash king of Judah.

When Athaliah saw this, she flew into a rage, but the godly high priest ordered her to be executed.

Thus, it was the murder of his entire family by his own grandmother that had ushered in the forty-year reign of King Joash of Judah.

Did Joash, at some point in his 4o year kingly reign privately or publicly forgive the scriptures do not say.

If there is some reason, legitimate or otherwise, and you are at severe odds with your grandparents, the matter of extending or not extending mercy, granting or not granting forgiveness is between Father God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and you.

Scripture repeatedly says mercy and forgiveness are always the right choices.

Matthew 5:7Christian Standard Bible

7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 9:13 Christian Standard Bible

13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.[a] For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[b]

Kinsman Redeemer

Leviticus 25:25-27 Christian Standard Bible

25 If your brother becomes destitute and sells part of his property, his nearest relative may come and redeem what his brother has sold. 26 If a man has no family redeemer, but he prospers[a] and obtains enough to redeem his land, 27  he may calculate the years since its sale, repay the balance to the man he sold it to, and return to his property.

Ruth 4:14-17 Christian Standard Bible

14 The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became a mother to him. 17 The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

An unusual grandparenting relationship is found in the book of Ruth.

The story of Ruth is a beautiful tale of love and loyalty between a young widow and her bereaved mother-in-law, Naomi.

Although her husband is dead, Ruth chooses to stay with her mother-in-law to care for her.

She even leaves her own people, the Moabites, to follow Naomi back to Israel where she meets and marries Boaz.

When their first child is born, the townspeople congratulate Naomi, saying, “Naomi has a son!” (Ruth 4:14–17).

The child was no blood relation to Naomi, but, because of the great love and connection between her and Ruth, she adopted the baby as her own grandchild.

This reminds us that grandparenting can come in many forms.

In this day of broken and dysfunctional families, divorce, and step-parenting, godly men and women who will prayerfully step forward, adopt their children’s step-children as their own grandchildren are blessed, as Naomi was blessed.

Her adopted grandchild, Obed, became the grandfather of King David.

When God designed this world, He instituted the ministry of the family as His means of propagating the earth and teaching us about love and relationship.

He intended for the elder to teach the younger and for the younger to revere the elder.

Grandparents, Great Grandparents play a uniquely special role in this design.

Free from the responsibility to train and discipline a child, grandparents can offer open arms, acceptance, and a safe place for a child to run when things are not going well with Mom and Dad.

Grandparents can provide wisdom beyond that of the parents, since they have already walked this road many years before.

A wise grandparent, though, will never intrude upon a parental decision in front of the child.

A grandparent’s role is not to supersede the parent but to support, encourage, and counsel as needed.

When parents, grandparents, and children are living out their roles as God first designed, the entire family, entire generations of families, communities thrive.

If I could give gold crowns to each one of my wonderful grandparents, I would.

They have invested so much into my life, and made such an impact,

I believe they ought to be treated like royalty.

However, I pray, that the way in which I’ve lived my life, would be such an abundant blessing to them, it feels like a crown of honor.

Not only are grandchildren a crown to the aged, the aged are the pride of their family – What a truly excellent reminder of the importance of grandparents!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

ABBA Father, Every good and perfect gift comes from You. I thank you, Lord, for the joy and happiness, the moments of learning, and the guidance and care you have brought to us through our wonderful grandparents. I truly appreciate the kind of life, love, and nurturing they have given our parents, for through these, I was taught to depend on You by faith, and I was raised with the morals and values to respect others and be concerned for their welfare. Thank you, Lord, for our godly grandparents.

Gracious God, I pray also that each and every grandparent would be able to see their grandchildren as crowns of joy. I also ask that every child would be able to see their grandparents as people of steadfast faith they can look up to. Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful legacies they leave behind. I pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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