Family Life Revealed

Most people do not have the opportunity to meet their great-great-grandparents. Autumn has been blessed to have two great-great-grandmas living. One she will meet in a couple of weeks and the other is the subject of this encomium.

I will always remember the first time Autumn met her great-great-grandma Marsh. Autumn was still small enough that her great-great-grandma could hold her on her lap and it was such a precious sight to see! This woman who has lived so much of her life was holding this baby who has so much life to live. At that moment I realized that without great-great-grandma Marsh, Autumn would not be and I felt a deep gratitude for the things she had gone through and the life she has lived. Although I do not know her very well at all (she is Brandon’s great-grandma) I learned so much about her character that day. As she held Autumn on her lap she gave her advice about life that filled the room with laughter. She would say things like, “You rule the roost now!” and “If you don’t get your way, just stomp your feet!” Her humor at her age was such a delight to see. Then when she got quiet someone asked what she was thinking and she replied, “I am praying for Autumn.” It was a very special moment, one that extended blessing from one generation to those that follow.

We had the privilege to visit great-great-grandma Marsh again six months later and the interaction between her and Autumn was just as sweet. This time Autumn was much too big for great-great-grandma’s lap but they enjoyed the garden together and exchanged many smiles. As time may be drawing near to the end of one life on earth I want to preserve these memories for Autumn to have. Although she may not remember these times she will know that she has a GREAT-GREAT-grandma Marsh.

Shall we begin today to be men of prayer, if we have never done so before?  Let us not put it off till a more convenient season.  God wants me to pray.  The dear Savior wants me to pray.  He needs my prayers.  So much- in fact, everything- depends upon prayer.  How dare we hold back?  Let every one of us ask on our knees this question:

If no one on earth prayed for the salvation of sinners more fervently or more frequently than I do, how many of them would be converted to God through prayer?

Do we spend ten minutes a day in prayer?  Do we consider it important enough for that?

Ten minutes a day on our knees in prayer- when the Kingdom of heaven can be had for the asking!

Ten minutes?  It seems a very inadequate portion of our time to spend in taking hold of God (Isa. 64:7)!

And is it prayer when we do “say” our prayers, or are we just repeating daily a few phrases which have become practically meaningless, whilst our thoughts are wandering hither and thither?

If God were to answer the words we repeated on our knees this morning, should we know it? Should we recognize the answer?  Do we even remember what we asked for?  He does answer.  He has given us his word for it.  He always answers every real prayer of faith.

-The Kneeling Christian

Why is it that so often we (and I am included in this) complain at how the world is, how our world is, yet we very rarely go to our knees and petition the very God who created it all?  I am far too guilty of bringing my deepest complaints, requests, and petitions to my wife, yet rarely to my savior.  Too often my prayer is “Thank you for this awesome weather”.  While there is nothing wrong with truly praising God for the weather (we should praise God in and for all things), we must learn to go beyond just speaking words, and learn to go boldly before the throne, bringing our whole heart and mind before Him.

This is a prayer that I have been praying for my daughter, Autumn, each day. I feel that these are qualities that the Lord would desire for her to have-

May your feet be strengthened that you might walk along the narrow path that the Lord sets before you

May your hands grow strong that you might be able to serve those in need

May the Lord grant you with vision, that you might see and show mercy

May the Lord give you ears that you might listen to Wisdom, and follow her advice for all of your days

May the Lord give you a voice that speaks the truth, speaks of love, and speaks with authority, which is given from God alone

May the Lord give you a mind that you might know Him. May you be given wisdom and knowledge beyond your years

May the Lord give you a heart that is passionate, merciful, and kind. May your heart be for the orphans and the widows. But most of all may your heart be for your God.